Poor Unfortunate Souls
by Snavej
Summary: Taniyama Mai had always loved the water. Yet her proud proclamation that she was a strong swimmer seemed to tempt fate. But when she was so far out from the shore, who would save her? [Mermaid AU]
1. Chapter 1

Taniyama Mai had always loved the water. Her mother had called her a water baby when she was young.

So when her sort-of adopted older brother had suggested going to the seaside, Mai had been the first to support the idea. Houshou's girlfriend, Ayako, had been harder to persuade. Fortunately for all of them, Ayako was weak to the large pleading eyes of Mai and had given in the moment Mai had batted her eyelids.

So one sunny Sunday morning in the middle of summer, the trio picked up Yasuhara, Mai's best friend, and started their journey to the nearest beach. Many people had assumed there was something more to Mai and Yasuhara's relationship, but it simply wasn't true. They were just the best of friends.

"I bet you an ice cream that Ayako complains about the sand within five minutes of being on the beach," Yasuhara muttered as they climbed out of the car two hours later.

"I bet you its three minutes," Mai replied, giggling.

Yet Ayako was quicker than either of them had imagined.

"Eugh, sand in my flip flops…" Ayako whined as they had no sooner stepped onto the sand.

"I think you owe me an ice cream," Mai said as she lightly punched Yasuhara on the shoulder.

"You said three minutes! That was barely three seconds!"

"I was closer than you!" Mai returned as she stripped down to her bikini. "Race you to the sea!"

Yasuhara pulled off his t-shirt and sprinted after Mai, his longer legs allowing him to catch up easily.

"You're so slow!" he yelled as he passed Mai, who was running as fast as she could.

"Oh shut up! You're just a giant!" Mai scowled and then squealed as she splashed into the water, which was freezing despite the summer day being the hottest so far that year.

Yasuhara took advantage of the momentary distraction and kicked more of the cold water at Mai, who screamed and jumped at him. She tackled him into the water so that they were both submerged. The pair broke the surface of the icy water together and gasped, then giggled and splashed each other like small children.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the beach, Ayako was laying out a picnic blanket and Houshou was watching his sort-of little sister playing in the sea.

"How long have those two known each other?" Houshou asked Ayako offhandedly.

"Couple of years, why?"

"Why haven't they gotten together? Like, they obviously get along and Mai is utterly adorable, Yasuhara would be lucky to have her."

"As if you would allow anyone to date her," Ayako said.

"I trust Yasuhara!" Houshou replied indignantly.

"Sure," Ayako said sceptically. "But they are happy as friends, they don't have to date."

Houshou made an odd guttural noise before grabbing the picnic hamper and searching for food.

"It's not lunchtime yet!"

"But I'm hungry!" he complained. "I did a lot of hard work this morning!"

"You drove us here, that's hardly taxing work."

"Mean old bat."

* * *

Back in the water, Mai and Yasuhara were swimming at their leisure. They were both careful not to go too far out, but the sea was clear and beautiful. They swam for what felt like hours, but in reality wasn't all that long, before returning to the shore and running up to Ayako and Houshou.

"I think we should go exploring after lunch," Yasuhara suggested to Mai as he pulled his towel out of his bag. Mai, who was already wrapped in her own towel, nodded fervently as she popped a piece of sushi in her mouth.

"As long as you don't go too far," Houshou warned and Mai rolled her eyes.

"We'll be fine!"

"I was thinking we could swim round those rocks to the next cove," Yasuhara said, pointing down the beach. "You can't access it otherwise. The tide is too high to climb the rocks and we'd have to wait ages for it to go out again."

"Now that is just asking for trouble."

"Hey!" Mai protested. "I am a great swimmer!"

"Stop tempting fate," Ayako muttered, brushing some sand off of the picnic blanket.

Mai rolled her eyes again and grabbed some more sushi.

Once they had finished eating, Mai and Yasuhara returned to the water, intent on swimming around to the next cove.

"Be careful!" Houshou yelled after them. Mai waved an arm to show she had heard and appreciated his words.

"I'll follow you," Mai told Yasuhara as they reached the point where they could no longer touch the floor.

"Sure?"

"Yeah!" Mai called and she watched Yasuhara take off with a powerful breaststroke.

She followed in front crawl, occasionally looking up to check on Yasuhara and their direction. On her third check, she spotted Yasuhara, corrected her direction slightly and put her head back down. She lost herself in the rhythmic movements of her body.

Then, against all reason, Mai opened her eyes under the water and in the murky water she spotted a flash of brightest blue. Startled, Mai recoiled and spluttered to the surface.

But as soon as she had taken breath, she stuck her head back under the water and gazed around for the flash of blue. But there was nothing. Frowning slightly, Mai began swimming again.

She couldn't help herself. She opened her eyes under the water again, and ignored the stinging sensation.

There was nothing but darky murky water until… There it was! The flash of blue!

Mai made for the surface, took a deep breath, and dove. She kicked her feet and forced her body down searching for the flash of blue. She spotted it again and changed course. Then it moved again. It had to be a fish, Mai thought. What else could dart about like that?

It wasn't until she was deeper than she ought to have been that Mai realised she was going to run out of oxygen. In a sudden moment of panic, Mai turned to the surface and began kicking her legs with all her might. Damn that fish for distracting her.

She could see the sun's light dancing through the water but it was still so far away.

She could make it though. She was a strong swimmer. She could hold her breath for ages.

She was kicking. But she wasn't getting any closer.

The sunlight was dimming.

Her legs were failing.

She was tired.

Darkness.

Then suddenly, she felt strong arms around her and oxygen rushing into her lungs. Mai spluttered and coughed; drawing much needed air into her body. She wiped her eyes, allowing the strong arms to hold her up.

But when she opened her eyes, she gasped. She had expected Yasuhara to be holding her, but it wasn't Yasuhara at all.

It was a very attractive young man with black hair and piercing blue eyes. If that wasn't astounding enough, he even had the audacity to look bored with the proceedings.

"Who are you?"

 _Does it matter?_

She heard the reply, but his mouth hadn't opened.

"How did you?"

Then she noticed the things on his neck. Were they gills?

 _Are you okay?_

The voice was inside her head. He was replying inside her head.

"What happened?"

 _You were drowning._

The young man was still holding her up, with his large slightly webbed hands around her waist. Mai looked down and gasped, it was the flash of blue! But now it wasn't a flash but a tail…?

"You're a…"

 _Merman,_ he finished in a bored voice.

"I thought merpeople drowned sailors."

The merman rolled his eyes.

 _You're not a sailor. But I can drown you if you want?_

"Well no but…" Mai recoiled for a moment. "Hang on, you're a merman?!" The full realisation of what he was hit her. "But merpeople don't exist!"

 _You are just hallucinating then, let's swim you back to shore._

"You're really sarcastic you know."

The merman rolled his eyes and let go of Mai's waist. He turned around.

 _Get on my back._

Mai complied in a sort of weird piggy back that left her head above the surface. She glanced at his tail as he ducked his head under the water and began swimming towards the distant shore. How had she gotten so far out?

"Your tail is beautiful," she mumbled, convinced he would not be able to hear her. It was true; it was long and covered in iridescent blue scales that glistened in the light.

 _I know._

"You sure do think of a lot of yourself, damn narcissistic," Mai said, scowling. "I was distracted by it…"

 _You're an idiot._

"And you're mean!"

 _Is that boy your friend? You were swimming with him earlier._ Mai looked up and saw Yasuhara floundering in the shallows, obviously looking for her.

"Yeah, that's Yasuhara."

 _You can swim from here._

Mai dismounted and began to treat water.

"Did I drown? Is this real?" Mai asked.

 _Does it matter if it is? No one will believe you._

"Yasuhara will," Mai said stubbornly.

 _Humans are idiots who can't control their thoughts._ Mai didn't know quite what he meant by that, but recognised the insult nevertheless.

"I'll tell him! He will believe me!" Mai exclaimed.

 _Go ahead. Goodbye, Mai. And don't go into the cave._

Mai started towards him.

"Wait! I never asked your name…" But she trailed off; the merman was gone in the blink of an eye. "Narcissistic jerk." Then she realised something. "How did he know my name?"

She turned, shaking her head in confusion, and continued towards the shore, not daring to dip her head under the water.

"Mai! Mai! Where the hell were you?!" Yasuhara had spotted her and was swimming out to meet her.

"I might've drowned a little," Mai admitted as they staggered onto the shore of the hidden cove.

"Drowned a little?!" Yasuhara gasped incredulously. "How do you drown a little?"

"A merman saved me."

"You really did drown didn't you? How much sea water did you swallow?" Yasuhara looked concerned.

"I'm telling the truth!" Mai insisted as she flopped down onto the sand. "He had a blue tail and blue eyes and he saved me."

"We should head back, the tide has gone out; we can clamber over the rocks so we don't have to swim." Yasuhara knelt down beside her and seemed to be studying her body for injuries.

"Yasuhara! I'm fine! I thought we were going to explore!" Mai complained.

"We were until you half drowned yourself!"

"Spoil sport." Mai pouted.

"Fine!" Yasuhara threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "We can look round for a bit; I think I spotted a cave…" Yasuhara got to his feet and made to pull Mai up. Once standing, Mai looked around and spotted the cave in question.

The mouth of the cave was large, yet the light seemed not to penetrate it.

"No…" Mai muttered, shaking her head. "Let's go back." Yasuhara looked around and saw Mai's eyes fixed on the cave with a serious expression.

"But you wanted to look a second ago?"

"The merman told me not to go in the cave."

"Really Mai?" Yasuhara frowned, very concerned by Mai's behaviour. "Let's head back."

And the two teenagers began walking to the rocks.

* * *

Out to sea, deep under the surface of the ocean, a green tailed merman was scolding his young ward.

 _You let a human see you Noll!_

 _As if anyone would believe her,_ the young blue tailed merman replied. He turned away from the older merman, but a strong arm turned him back.

 _She still saw you! What were you even doing up there?_

 _Investigating._ Noll wrenched his arm free.

 _Investigating what exactly?_

 _Lin,_ Noll's tone was serious; _I think Gene was taken by humans._

 _All the more reason to stay away from them!_ Lin was almost shouting.

 _If he is still alive, I can't just leave him!_

 _You still didn't have to save the human_ , Lin spat. _You know what they would do, don't you? What they are probably doing to Gene right now?_

But Noll did not reply; of course he knew what the humans would do but he couldn't just let the girl drown. It would have been his fault and he couldn't let that rest on his conscience. She probably had a family. She was innocent. She didn't deserve to die.

Besides, a human ally might be useful.

* * *

 **Author's note: So AmyNChan challenged me to write some fluff to "get me out of my comfort zone" because I seem to like upsetting you all with my tragic one shots and the evils that will be in A Hint of A Deception! *cries just thinking about it* And so I tried and I managed 26 words before I gave up and deleted it. So I tried again and this happened. And it's not very fluffy at all but I liked it so thought I would post it! I have an idea for a plot for this if people like it!**

 **So please review :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The following afternoon, back in Tokyo, Mai was sat in a park with a sketchbook. Her hand was gripping a pencil and attempting to portray exactly what the merman had looked like. She thought she managed the look in his eyes, but what was really causing her trouble was the tail.

There was no way she could use a mere pencil to capture the shimmering quality of the tail.

"Really Mai?" a familiar voice said behind her.

"What?"

Yasuhara sat down beside her and peered over her shoulder.

"Is that what he looked like?" he asked sceptically.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"So you almost drowned," Yasuhara began. "Then this merman," he pointed to the sketchpad, "saved you and brought you to shore."

"Yeah, and he spoke straight into my mind!" Mai added earnestly. "Why would I lie about this?"

"I don't know Mai," he replied. "Mermaids-"

"Merpeople," Mai corrected.

"Merpeople," Yasuhara nodded. "They don't exist. They were just made up by drunken sailors that saw seals or manatees or something."

"But…" Mai looked away to hide her disappointment. She had been so sure he would believe her.

"You probably just drank a bit of sea water and were a bit delirious," Yasuhara continued sympathetically.

"Yasuhara," Mai said suddenly. She jumped to her feet and shoved her sketchbook into her bag.

"What?"

"That's…" she mumbled, but then she was already sprinting away from him.

"Mai!" Yasuhara ran after her. "Mai, where are you going?!"

But Mai was pelting after someone.

"Wait!" she yelled. She ignored the concerned stares from other people in the park. But her quarry did not stop. "Naru!"

She stopped dead and slapped her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to speak her private nickname for the merman out loud, let alone shout it in a crowded park.

What shocked her more, was the person she was attempting to catch up with stopped and turned around.

It was him. It was the merman.

But he had legs?

She watched as the man started towards her with a frown.

"What did you call me?" he asked. His voice was raspy, as if he'd barely used it.

"Uh," Mai stumbled.

"Did you call me 'Naru'?"

Mai nodded mutely as Yasuhara caught up with her.

"Mai, he looks just like your drawing," Yasuhara said in disbelief.

As if to confirm this, Yasuhara dug into Mai's back and pulled out the sketchbook. He held the drawing up and compared it to the man standing in front of them.

"You know, I see one big difference Mai," Yasuhara commented. "The distinct lack of a tail…"

The man took the drawing and looked at it.

"Where did you see him?" The man was glaring down at Mai with a scary intensity.

"He saved me," Mai replied. "I was drowning, and he saved me."

Yasuhara looked between the two and then shook his head in disbelief.

"You're both crazy," he muttered.

"Noll saved a human?" the man said under his breath.

"Noll?"

"My twin brother, I thought you said his name before and well, we've pretended to be each other enough…"

"But you have legs?" Mai asked happily; she wasn't going mad. "Can you do the mind talk thing?"

 _Of course I can,_ he replied and this time, Yasuhara heard it.

"I'm crazy," he whispered, shrinking to the floor and putting his head between his knees.

"The sea witch gave me legs," the man continued out loud, as he sensed Yasuhara's discomfort at his other method of communication.

"Yasuhara! I told you! I told you it was real," Mai turned to face her friend, then looked down to find him rocking backwards and forwards with his arms over his head. "What are you doing?"

"He spoke into my head," he whimpered.

"Well I told you the merman could!" She turned back to the man. "What's your name?"

"Gene," he said in his low coarse voice.

"I'm Mai; it's nice to meet you."

"Maybe this is all a dream," Yasuhara said weakly. "Maybe if I just lie down, I'll wake up in bed and none of this will have happened."

"Yasuhara, stand up and stop being pathetic." Mai rolled her eyes. "You are such a drama queen."

Grudgingly, Yasuhara obeyed and Gene laughed.

"So, you're a merman?" Yasuhara asked, he was squinting a bit, as if scared of the answer.

"Normally, yes," Gene replied. "Look." He pointed to his neck, where three scars lay on either side.

"Were those your gills?" Mai asked, she reached up a hand and gently touched one of the scars.

"Yes."

"Where are you staying?"

"Huh?"

"Do you have anywhere to live right now?" Mai asked.

"I've been sleeping under benches," Gene replied shamefacedly.

"How long have you been out of the water?" Yasuhara asked. He seemed to have decided just to go with it.

"About a week?"

"But why are you on land?" Mai questioned. So many things to ask...

"I'm…" He paused awkwardly. "I'm helping a friend."

Yasuhara opened up his own bag, pulled out a water bottle and took off the lid. He then squirted Gene's legs with water.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mai turned on him. Gene had only looked amused at Yasuhara's actions.

"In the movies, if a mermaid is on land and they get wet, then they turn back into a mermaid."

"So you thought you'd try it in the middle of a crowded park?" Mai asked incredulously. "Are you an idiot?" She turned back to Gene. "I'm sorry; he's usually more intelligent than that."

"I know," Gene replied with a warm smile.

"How?" Mai frowned.

"Oh," Gene looked worried. "Sorry, um, the mind talking thing. It, uh…"

"You can read our minds?" Yasuhara guessed.

Gene nodded awkwardly.

"That's how it works, but merpeople learn to control it and only project what they want others to hear. Obviously under the water we can't talk like humans do."

"Which is why your voice sounds so odd?"

"Before last week, I'd never used it before really," Gene said.

"Do you want to stay with me?" Mai asked quickly. "I live alone, so there would be no one else there."

"Mai!" Yasuhara scolded. "You can't just invite some random merman into your house! He could be a mass murderer for all you know!"

"Damn, you caught me," Gene said seriously. "Yeah, they kicked me out for killing the royal family and forced me into a human body."

"Really?" Mai asked, wide eyed.

Gene laughed so hard he clutched at his sides.

"I think he was pulling your leg, Mai," Yasuhara said. "I hope."

"Was your offer of somewhere to stay a genuine one?" Gene asked once he had regained control of himself.

"As long as you didn't really kill anyone, sure," Mai said. "Come on."

And so the trio began walking. Mai put her sketchbook back in her bag and led the way.

"Where did you get clothes from?" Yasuhara asked a minute later.

"I stole them," Gene admitted but at their shocked faces, he continued. "I had nothing to wear! I mean, I can return them if you'd rather I walked around naked but the human body is kind of weird and I don't like it…"

"What's wrong with humans?" Mai asked, offended.

"You have these weird dangly things between your legs!" Gene protested. "As if walking wasn't hard enough as it is!" Mai sniggered at his words.

"Only men have those," Yasuhara said.

"What are they for?" Gene asked, obviously genuinely interested. "I found out one is for dispelling some bodily waste but the other bits evade me."

"I'll explain when we are not in public," Yasuhara muttered quietly.

"Why?" Gene continued in a carrying voice.

"It's to do with reproduction," Mai explained. "It's not socially acceptable to talk about things in public places, especially where there are small children."

"Oh," Gene frowned. "You don't lay eggs do you?"

Mai shook her head.

"We'll explain at Mai's apartment."

"We'll?" Mai exclaimed. "I am not giving Sex Ed to a merman!"

"And you think I want to?" Yasuhara retorted.

"I'm sorry," Gene said quickly. "I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"It's not trouble," Mai said kindly. "It's just embarrassing."

"Embarrassing?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Is reproduction not embarrassing to your people?"

"What is there to be embarrassed about?" Gene asked. "You find a mermaid you want to spend your life with, she lays eggs, you fertilise them and then wait until they hatch." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

"We're going to have to talk more about this," Yasuhara said. "But not when we are about to get on a train."

They had just arrived at the train station.

"I'll buy you a ticket," Mai said. "Have you been on a train before?"

"The metal box contraptions?"

"Yeah?"

"No…" Gene replied slowly. "They look dangerous."

"How did you get to Tokyo then?"

"I walked." Gene shrugged again. "It didn't take as long as the swim to the British Isles."

"You swam to the UK?" Mai asked incredulously. Gene nodded.

"Yeah, it was quite nice there. Apart from those nutters in boats that kept trying to catch us," he told her. "There was a middle aged couple that were obsessed with us. I have no idea how they kept finding me and my brother, but I swear they would have kept us like pets if they had managed to catch us."

Mai bought him a ticket and together they boarded the train. Gene looked very nervous about the whole thing and was gripping to a pole with all his might.

"Are you sure this won't hurt us?" he whispered.

"Yes, here," Mai said, holding out her hand. Gene looked at it and tipped his head to the side slightly, frowning. Mai rolled her eyes, then pried one of his hands from the pole and took it in hers. "Squeeze when you get scared," she explained as the train began to move.

She almost immediately regretted his statement; Gene had an incredibly strong grip.

"Sorry," he said, noticing her wince.

"This is completely safe," Mai reassured him. "We'll be off in a minute." Then Mai noticed something. "Your brother had slightly webbed hands?"

"Mine changed when the sea witch turned me human," Gene clarified. "It's weird."

"What colour was your tail?"

"Same as my brothers," Gene replied.

"Does everyone have the same colour tail?" Mai asked. "Or are they different?"

"Different," Gene said. "Lin's was green; Madoka's was pink like her hair…"

"Pink?" Yasuhara sounded confused.

"Yes, pink."

Yasuhara only shook his head.

They disembarked from the train a few minutes later and walked to Mai's apartment in near silence.

"Home sweet home!"

Mai's apartment was small but cosy. Yasuhara quickly made himself at home on the sofa after kicking off his shoes.

"Shoes off Gene," Mai instructed. "You can leave them there." She pointed to the pile of shoes by the door.

"Oh good, these things pinch!" Gene remarked.

"What size are you wearing?"

"There are different sizes?"

Mai pressed her hand to her forehead.

"We'll take you shoe shopping at some point, would you like a drink?"

"Please," Gene said and then he joined Yasuhara on the sofa. "Will you teach me now?"

"Mai? Can I borrow your laptop?" Yasuhara requested wearily.

"Sure."

"Can you read?" he asked as he opened up Mai's laptop and typed in the password.

"Of course I can read," Gene scoffed.

"Excellent," Yasuhara said. "Then I'll let you read all about it." He found an article and passed the laptop to Gene, who held it gingerly. "It won't bite, just read and when you get to the bottom, press this key–" Yasuhara pointed to the down key "-and it will move what is shown down."

"Okay," Gene began reading. Mai appeared a moment later with drinks for everyone.

"Mai, can I speak to you for a moment?" Yasuhara requested. Mai agreed and he led her from the living room and into her bedroom. "Look, assuming this isn't a dream and I am still holding out on that one, I don't like you staying here alone with him."

"Why?" Mai demanded.

"Because he could be anyone! Even if he is a merman or whatever, it doesn't automatically make him a good person."

"Gene is harmless!" Mai insisted. "And he can read your thoughts, so stop being mean to him!"

"Mai!" Yasuhara pleaded. "I just don't want you getting hurt!"

"Then stay here too!" Mai suggested. "Then you can watch over me and him and it'll all be okay!"

"As if my parents would allow that," Yasuhara remarked. He glanced at the door. "Do you think he can read our minds from here?"

 _I can_ , Gene's voice replied. _You really need to guard your thoughts more._

"That's seriously creepy," Mai whispered.

 _You don't want to know the perverted things Yasuhara was thinking when we were discussing reproduction earlier. I mean seriously? Do humans actually do that?_

Mai raised an eyebrow at Yasuhara, who growled.

 _I'm just teasing!_

"We may as well go back in," she said. Yasuhara followed reluctantly. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing!" he retorted.

"Aww come on! You can tell me!"

But Yasuhara had gone uncharacteristically red.

"I'll ask Gene to tell me what you're thinking," Mai teased.

"That would be a violating the sanctity of my thoughts."

"Do humans really experience that?" Gene asked Yasuhara. "What you were thinking about?"

"Yeah," Yasuhara replied awkwardly. "Do you not…?"

"No," Gene said.

"I'm going to make some dinner," Mai said in an attempt to clear the air. She had a sneaking suspicious she could guess what they were both thinking about, but she really didn't want to discuss it.

"Can you show me how to work this contraption?"

"Can't you just read it out of my mind?" Yasuhara asked.

"Well I could, but I've been trying to assimilate to humans…" Gene replied. "I mean, merpeople are so used to guarding what they don't want shared, you never hear anything that shouldn't be heard. It's hard trying not to listen…"

"Do you eat anything in particular?" Mai asked. "Or not eat anything?"

"I've been trying human food," Gene told her. "Do you really eat fish?"

"Um, yeah? Do you not?"

"Fish are friends, not food." He had a serious expression on his face.

"No fish then," Mai said.

As Mai began cutting up vegetables, she glanced at the two young men on her sofa. She had the weirdest feeling in the bottom of her stomach that her life was about to be turned upside down. And if the truth was told, she wasn't sure she was ready for it.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I wrote some fluff (Playing the Part) and its gone to my head. I've gone soft! Look! GENE IS ALIVE! Just to clarify, Noll does think Gene has been taken and doesn't know what's going on! Oh wait, neither do you lot really... Hee hee hee!**

 **So I have found myself writing three stories at once - something I said I would never do - and argh! I want to write all three and once but alas I only have one set of hands...**

 **Someone reviewed saying they wanted to draw fan art for this, if any of you do this, please message me and send me a link to your work! I would love to see it! Also, if Mai was a mermaid, what colour tail do you think she would have?**

 **Please review :)**


	3. Chapter 3

"So who is it you're helping?" Mai asked as they sat down for dinner.

"Uh…" Gene was holding the chopsticks with a confused look on his face. "How am I supposed to use these?"

"Oh," Mai said. "Should I just get you a spoon? I might have a fork somewhere if you prefer?"

"A what?"

"Spoon it is then," Mai said and she jumped up to find one. "See, like this." She demonstrated before handing it to him.

Mai and Yasuhara watched as Gene managed to eat something. Content that he was capable of feeding himself, Mai repeated her question.

"So who is it you're helping?"

"Um, well…" Gene stuttered. "It's the sea witch…"

"What?"

"Yeah," he continued awkwardly. "See, she lives in a cave. She was exiled and bound to the cave by a witch hunter so that she would never see a living soul again."

"Why?" Mai asked, intrigued.

"It was all a big mistake!" Gene insisted. "She was convinced to curse the wrong people and she thought she was helping but… She can't leave the cave you see, but she can't die either. She's condemned there for all eternity unless I help her!"

"How?"

"By finding another witch hunter and getting them to release the bind," Gene explained. "I always wanted to see what humans were really like and Masako needed help so it was a win-win situation."

"Masako?"

"Masako Hara, that's her name."

"So will you go back to the sea?"

"Of course! I can't just desert my brother," Gene said. "Though he's probably going to murder me when he finds out what I've done. Masako has a bad reputation under the sea."

"How did you get to her cave?" Mai asked.

"I waited until low tide and then dragged myself across the beach. It wasn't easy! Everything is so much harder without the water's support!"

"So when will you turn back into a merman?" Yasuhara asked.

"I don't know. Masako reckons I would have at least two weeks as a human but she wasn't sure how long her magic would last after that…"

"And you've already been out of the water for a week, right?" Mai checked.

"I think so," Gene said, nodding.

"So this isn't like the kids films is it? Where it's all a trap?" Yasuhara asked. "You don't have to make a prince fall in love with you when you can't serenade him with your beautiful singing voice?"

Gene looked extremely confused, but Mai laughed.

"Perhaps we'll watch some of these movies later," she suggested. "So you understand the references we are making."

"You shouldn't ask a merperson to sing though," Gene said seriously.

"Why?" Mai asked, taken aback slightly.

"Because they can enchant you with their voices, have you not heard of sirens?"

"The mythical creatures that lure sailors to their death?"

"They are like cousins to merfolk," Gene explained. "Like humans and… Apes?"

"So if you sung, you would kill us?"

"No, but I could place you in a trance like state and make you do almost anything," he remarked offhandedly.

"I told you he was dangerous."

"Does it work on other merpeople?"

"No, just other creatures. There are strict laws on it though," Gene said. "And heavy penalties for those that abuse it."

"Will you use it on a witch hunter to get them to help?"

"Only if I absolutely have to," Gene admitted.

They finished eating and Yasuhara declared he was going to go home and return with some fresh clothes and a sleeping bag so he could stay the night.

"He doesn't trust me," Gene said after Yasuhara had left. "He's practically screaming it in his mind."

"Well you did just tell us that you could put us in trance like states and make us do whatever you wanted us to do," Mai pointed out. "And you have recently discovered exactly how human sex works; I can see why he'd be worried."

"I can't?" Gene frowned. "I don't know you well enough to decide if I want to spend my life with you, sorry."

"Don't be," Mai said with a laugh. "But some humans would take advantage of innocent young girls alone in their apartment just for the pleasures of sex."

"Humans do that?"

"Unfortunately."

"That's awful."

"I'm glad you agree," Mai said. "Can I ask another question?"

"All you've done is ask me questions!" Gene teased. "But go on."

"Your brother could breathe above the water, but fishes can't? And he had gills?"

"Merpeople have lungs like humans too," Gene told her. "There is a valve in our throats that we can open in order to use our lungs, or close to prevent water getting in."

"That's awesome!"

"It's quite useful," Gene agreed.

"How are you going to find the witch hunters then?"

"I had no idea before to be honest, but this internet thing that Yasuhara showed me is really something!" Gene said. "I was hoping to use it to find someone to help, if that's okay?"

"Go ahead!" Mai beamed at him. "Anything I can do to help really!"

"Why are you helping me?"

"Your brother saved my life, if I can repay that debt by aiding you; it would make me feel better."

"See now that's another thing," Gene mumbled. "I don't understand why he helped you."

"Why wouldn't he?"

"Or rather, I don't understand why he was close enough to the surface to be in close enough proximity to save you… Noll wouldn't be so reckless."

"Perhaps he was looking for you," Mai suggested.

"I hope not, I don't want to get him in trouble."

"Why would he be in trouble?"

"Well like I said before, the sea witch has a bad reputation and we're essentially banned from going too near humans. You lot have a tendency to try catching us and exposing our existence to the world when we'd really rather be left alone."

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"Humans."

"Don't be, you're just too damn curious and destructive."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Was it painful? Turning human?" Mai asked.

"Very," Gene winced with the mere memory of the event.

"Will it be painful turning back?"

"Probably."

"What is she going to do once you've had her freed?"

"Masako?" Gene asked and Mai nodded. "I don't know, she has the ability to live both above and below the water. I imagine she'll go travelling. She's been stuck in that cave for hundreds of years. I would imagine she wants to catch up on everything…"

"How long to merpeople live?"

"A hundred years or so?" Gene said, then suddenly looked at the door. "Yasuhara is almost here, I can hear him raving a mile off."

"What is he thinking?"

"He's planning in graphic detail what he's going to do to me if I've hurt you," Gene said with a grimace. "Would you like the details?"

"I don't think I want to know," Mai said, screwing up her face. "I know how imaginative he can be."

A knock on the door announced Yasuhara's arrival. Mai let him in and he immediately threw something at Gene.

"What is this?"

"Clothes," Yasuhara explained. "If you've been in those clothes for a week… Well it's disgusting, you should shower and change. I brought you pyjamas too."

"Thank you," Gene said with a smile. "But what is a shower?"

Mai and Yasuhara stared at him for a moment.

"Why don't you show him?" Mai suggested to Yasuhara. "While I set up some beds?"

Yasuhara did not look happy about this, but gestured to Gene to follow him to the bathroom.

Mai began unrolling sleeping bags and dragging her own bedding into the living room. If the two young men were going to camp out there, she wasn't going to miss out on the fun of a sleepover.

Mai had just finished making the finishing touches when she heard a sudden shout from the bathroom.

"I am not showering with you!" Yasuhara's voice carried easily down the hallway. Mai laughed, it wasn't often Yasuhara of all people became embarrassing enough to exclaim like that.

The man in question appeared a minute later, looking awfully flustered.

"What happened?"

"He asked me to get in with him," Yasuhara sat down and shook his head. "To ensure he used the shower gel right."

"I think he's enjoying teasing you."

"Yeah," Yasuhara said weakly. "I'm going to change; can I use your room?"

"Sure."

Mai changed into her own pyjamas once Yasuhara had finished. Gene appeared a few minute later.

"I like showers," he declared happily.

"I'm glad," Mai said kindly. "But you should know propositioning someone to join you in a shower is highly inappropriate."

"But you have communal baths? I have seen them!"

"That's different," Mai said. "That's… That's a social thing! Showers are a lot more intimate!"

"Humans are strange," Gene muttered. "You have clothes just for sleeping?"

"They're comfy!"

"Are day clothes not supposed to be comfortable?"

"Well they are, but it's different," Mai said as she climbed into her makeshift bed. Yasuhara had already wriggled into his sleeping bag. Gene slid into his own sleeping bag and then laughed.

"I'm like a merman!" he said, flapping his legs up so the entire sleeping bag rose like a giant tail.

"I'd like to see you swim with that!" Mai giggled.

"I doubt it would be very effective."

"We forgot to turn the lights off," Yasuhara commented.

"I'll get it," Mai said.

Once the lights were off, she climbed back into her bed between the two men.

"Will you tell me about your brother?" Mai asked.

"Noll? What do you want to know?"

"Everything!"

"Well, he's an idiot," Gene began.

"Really?"

"No, he's a genius," Gene said with a smile that no one could see due to the darkness of the room. "He can solve anything. He's a bit reserved though, not so great at talking to others. Quite a lot of people think he's an insensitive git, but in reality, he cares a lot." Gene swallowed. "I've never been away from him for so long…" He spoke as if this realisation had only just hit him.

"How are you twins if you reproduce by laying eggs?" Yasuhara asked, completely missing Gene's sombre mood.

"Shared an egg."

"That's so weird…"

"And carrying a baby in your stomach for nine months isn't?"

"What would happen if a pregnant human was turned into a mermaid?" Mai pondered out loud. "Where would the baby come out of?"

"I don't know," Gene said after a few minutes contemplation of this idea. "She'd probably die to be honest."

"Remind me not to get pregnant and turned into a mermaid then," Mai said seriously.

"You'd be better off staying human regardless," Gene said. "The ocean is a dangerous place."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you humans only know half of what is in the depths of the ocean."

"Is Triton your king?" Yasuhara asked.

"Triton? No. He's considered a god. Well, at least some merfolk worship him but his main following is near Europe."

"Does he have a daughter called Ariel?" Mai enquired innocently.

"He's long dead, but he might have done, I don't know much about it," Gene replied. "Is this Ariel someone you know?"

"Not personally…"

"Is this another reference to some film thing?"

"Yes," Mai disclosed. "A famous kids film, I might have a copy somewhere. We can watch it if you like?"

"Perhaps, I would like to look for the witch hunters first."

"Of course, first thing in the morning!"

"Thank you," Gene said earnestly.

Mai yawned.

"We should all sleep," she mumbled.

"Good idea," Yasuhara agreed.

They fell silent again, until Mai thought of something else.

"Say, Gene?"

"Hmm?"

"If I am ever cursed to live as a mermaid forever, will you and Naru, I mean Noll, look after me? If the sea is so dangerous?"

"Of course, we are protectors of our people, it's our job!"

"Your job?"

"We're somewhat like, what do you call them? Soldiers?"

"Do you have a uniform?" Yasuhara asked.

"Get those perverted thoughts out of your head," Mai interrupted.

"You really don't want to know what he was thinking."

"Eww!" Mai squealed. "Go to sleep! Both of you!"

 _And no, no uniform, merpeople don't wear clothes._

"Gene! Sleep!" Mai poked him in the side.

"I am trying, I am!" Gene insisted. "Yasuhara's depraved thoughts are keeping me up!"

"Is that literally up or-" Yasuhara began, but stopped as Mai hit both him and Gene with pillows.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I still want to hear what colour you think Mai's tail would be if she had one! Sorry this is a bit fillery but it's past 1am here...**

 **I currently have four stories on the front page of the Ghost Hunt listings and quite frankly, this needs to be changed. Everyone, go forth from this place and write! Write all the stories!**

 **So I got my results for my Japanese exam and I got 75% (80% is nigh-on impossible apparently) and I got the highest marks for my written paper and my written piece of work. So I am officially awesome and I get to skip a course next year! Yay!**

 **So yeah, please review :)**


	4. Chapter 4

When the trio woke the following morning, Mai made breakfast. But Gene seemed reluctant to get out of his makeshift bed.

"Can't I just eat here?" he asked when Mai called them to the kitchen table. Yasuhara narrowed his eyes at the young man and then realised exactly what his problem might be.

"Are you not feeling well?" Mai asked, obviously concerned.

"Um, no."

"Alright, but no dropping food everywhere!"

While they ate, Gene flicked through Mai's sketchbook.

"You're really captured Noll's expression," Gene mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"It's impolite to talk while eating," Mai scolded.

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Mai said kindly. "I'm going to go and shower, if you two could wash up?"

"Sure," Yasuhara agreed groggily. He watched Mai go before turning to Gene. "Has it gone yet?"

"What?"

"Your morning wood? I presume that was the problem?"

"What wood?" Gene frowned.

"Do the mind reading thing," Yasuhara instructed and a dawning look of realisation crept over Gene's face.

 _Oh, I see. Why on earth is it called that?_

"I have no idea," Yasuhara said.

"So how do you get rid of it?" Gene enquired. "I mean, after what I read last night I don't want to walk around with it like that! Mai might get ideas!"

"More like she'd giggle herself to death," Yasuhara mumbled. "And you just have to think about other things, distract yourself from it, you know?"

"Right, like what?"

"Anything you don't find sexually attractive," Yasuhara said seriously. "What did you do when you were out on the streets?"

"I didn't quite realise the connotations of it, so I just ignored it…" Gene replied, looking embarrassed.

"What are you two talking about?" Mai asked, re-entering the room. She was towelling her hair dry.

"Nothing!" both young men intoned at once. Mai looked at them suspiciously.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Gene.

"Better, I think I was just hungry," he lied quickly.

"Do you want to shower next?" Yasuhara asked.

"It's okay, you can."

Yasuhara departed for the shower and Mai began brushing her damp hair.

"So can we look for the witch hunter today?"

"Once you've showered and dressed, sure," Mai agreed. "What do you know about these witch hunters?"

"Only what Masako told me," Gene admitted. "That they generally hide their professions under other jobs. Because apparently humans don't really believe in magic any more, is that true?"

"Well, yeah," Mai said with a shrug. "Magic isn't real."

"But merpeople and sea witches are?" Gene raised a pointed eyebrow at her.

"Oh," Mai said. She frowned. "But… Well… Well most people don't see it, so why would they believe in it?"

"Most people haven't seen this God person that they pray to, yet they believe in that?"

This had Mai stumped.

"But Masako couldn't tell me anything else," Gene went on.

"Hang on, I'll get my laptop."

Yasuhara reappeared as Mai returned with the device. Gene went off for a shower and Mai began searching while Yasuhara made suggestions from the sink where he was washing up.

"What if you just trying 'witch hunter'?"

Mai typed it in.

"Wikipedia, a manga, a wiki, a trailer, a film… Nothing solid. I'll add 'for hire'?"

"Sounds good," Yasuhara plopped down in the seat beside her.

"Um, I think that's for an online game?" Mai posed. "Games and fanfiction…"

"Add 'in real life'?"

Mai complied.

"No change really."

"Perhaps we ought to try the library?"

"It's the best idea we have," Mai agreed.

* * *

Noll glanced about, but could not see anyone following him. He had thought for a moment that he had felt Lin's presence, but perhaps he was just being paranoid.

If Lin was following him, he would have stopped Noll long ago. Because what Noll was doing was, quite frankly, crazy.

 _The things I do for you Gene,_ Noll thought as he pushed off again. After his last trip to the seas around the land that the humans called Europe, he had promised he would never return. But now?

He had no choice.

Gene would not have gone this long without returning unless he had done something extremely stupid.

Noll knew, though he wasn't sure how, that Gene was with the humans. His twin had always been interested in the damned creatures and now it had gotten him into a lot of trouble. And, as usual, Noll would have to be the one to fix everything.

* * *

 _He's gone, isn't he?_ Madoka asked her husband.

 _Yes,_ Lin replied.

 _Why didn't you stop him?_

 _Because he wouldn't listen. Noll never does when it comes to Gene,_ Lin pointed out. _They only have each other after all._

 _What will we do when other's notice?_ Madoka asked after a pause.

 _Tell them the truth; Noll has gone looking for his brother,_ Lin replied sadly. _We'll just emit the details._

Madoka sighed and flicked her tail up so she could admire it in the murky light.

 _Those two are more trouble than they are worth sometimes_ , she muttered.

 _Then stop thinking about going after them,_ Lin said. _I know they are your favourite pupils, but we cannot help them now._

Madoka sighed again and let her tail fall. She knew her husband was right. Lin swam closer and put an arm around his distraught wife in a lame attempt to comfort her. She leant into the embrace.

 _They'll be okay, won't they?_

 _Of course they will,_ Lin replied and he sincerely hoped he would be right.

* * *

"Woah,"Gene breathed as they entered the library.

"Do you not have books?"

"Well we do, but they aren't anything like this!" Gene stared around in wonder. "We have nothing like this… Noll would love this."

"Really?" Mai asked, obviously interested. Gene smiled knowingly at her.

"Yes, he would."

"Right, come on," Yasuhara led the other two towards the business directories. Once there, he pulled off a few likely looking tomes and passed them to Gene and Mai.

The trio searched the directories, looking for anything that might be a variation upon or cover for 'witch hunter'.

"This person claims to have psychic powers?" Mai said.

"What sort?" Gene asked, looking up.

"Um, they mention spoon-bending?" Mai said. "Proven ability in spoon-bending and hitogata, what is a hitogata?"

"It's a way to curse people. Well, it doesn't always have to be a bad spell," Gene replied. "But it's a wooden doll that represents a person…" he trailed off, obviously thinking.

"Could this person make a hitogata of the sea witch? And then replace her with the doll?"

"That's what I was just thinking about," Gene admitted. "But I have a feeling that it would kill the caster due to the amount of energy needed."

"Damn," Mai muttered. She turned back to the book and continued her search.

"Hey what about this?" Yasuhara turned his book around to show the others. He pointed to the bottom of the page.

"An exorcist?" Mai said sceptically. "Like ridding the world of demons possessing people?"

"Yeah! They might know about cursed witches!" Yasuhara said, then continued at the look of disbelief on Mai's face. "They would! The catholic church was all for burning the witches!"

"He's got a point," Gene agreed.

"You know about them burning witches?"

"I can read Yasuhara's mind well enough to get the gist."

"So you reckon this one would be worth checking out?" Mai asked. Gene nodded. Mai pulled out a pen and scrap of paper and jotted down the contact details. "Should we keep looking?"

"Yeah," Gene said. "We'll find all the possibilities today, then check them out tomorrow."

"No point visiting each individually if they are duds," Yasuhara pointed out.

"Exactly."

So they continued their search until past lunchtime.

"This looks like a possibility…" Gene mumbled. "S.P.R – Supernatural Persons Research."

"Researchers?" Yasuhara asked with a frown.

"I doubt they'd know anything," Gene continued. "But they might know someone who does."

Mai copied down the details.

"This is in Shibuya," she noted.

"So?"

"It's not far from here," she told Gene. "It'll be easy to check this one out."

"Awesome," he said with a smile. "I've finished this book, are there any others?"

"Nah," Yasuhara replied. "Shall we go and get some lunch?"

"Great idea!" Mai said. "I'm starving!"

"So am I," Gene agreed. "Being a human is so much effort!"

"All this talking and walking and…" Mai teased.

"Well, yeah!"

They left the library and found some lunch.

"Maybe we should go and check out this place in Shibuya this afternoon," Mai suggested. "I mean we can get there easily…"

"Does this mean more metal boxes?"

"Yes," Yasuhara said. "But I'll hold your hand if you want me to." He winked.

Gene turned to face Yasuhara with a deadly serious expression.

"Would you?" he asked tenderly. Gene reached up and stroked the side of Yasuhara's face. "I'm so glad you'd do that for me."

Yasuhara blanched and Mai sniggered.

"He's better than you at your own game," Mai said to her friend. She was barely refraining from laughing.

Yasuhara scowled at her before pouting at Gene.

"No one is better at me at my own game," he muttered darkly.

Gene leant in and whispered a reply.

"Prove it."

Mai's face was screwed up trying not to giggle.

"Come on Gene," she said as she linked her arm through his. "Let's go."

Gene complied for a moment before looking over his shoulder at the still stationary Yasuhara.

"Remember I can hear exactly what you are thinking…"

Yasuhara scowled again and then hurried to catch up.

"What is he thinking?" Mai asked innocently.

Gene chuckled.

"Nothing you want to imagine, I promise you."

Mai's eyes narrowed slightly but she let it pass.

"Can you teach me to guard my mind?"

"I can try."

"Well we could walk to Shibuya," Mai said. "It's not that far and we can avoid the subway which I know you'd prefer. Then you could teach me as we walk!"

Gene smiled down at her.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Will you teach me too?" Yasuhara asked, shelving his pride.

"Of course," Gene said as he linked his other arm through Yasuhara's. They walked down the street and Gene began his lesson. "Right, so in your mind, imagine yourself as a little person."

"Okay," Mai mumbled as she did so.

"Then build a wall up around your imaginary self," Gene continued. "Stylise it if it helps, then you remain within your walls for your private thoughts and then imagine a gate to pass through for those you wish to share."

"Is it that easy?" Mai asked.

"In theory, yes, but in practice its quite hard," Gene replied. "It takes Young merpeople years to perfect it."

As they continued to walk, Mai and Yasuhara attempted to block thoughts from Gene with little success.

"Yasuhara, perhaps you ought to try less suggestive thoughts to hide," Gene said with a smirk. "You seem to get too excited by those ones to concentrate on the block."

"I really hate that you two won't share with me," Mai muttered.

"You literally would not be able to look him in the eye again," Gene pointed out. "But try another block, you were doing well!"

Mai narrowed her eyes, then tried again.

"What's my English teacher called?" she hissed, her face was screwed up in concentration.

Gene paused.

"I can't read it from you," he said finally. "But Yasuhara is telling me it's Inoue-san."

"Yasuhara! Stop giving him the answers!" Mai exclaimed. "Could you really not tell?"

"Really," Gene replied. "I could have told you she was female, you didn't manage to hide that, but it's a start."

Mai grinned.

"This is it," Yasuhara said, pointing to the building. "Shall we head in?"

"No time like the present!"

Yasuhara lead the way into the building. Signs led them upstairs to a doorway that had golden letters stamped across it: S.P.R.

Mai reached out a hand, and knocked.

As the door opened, Mai heard Gene gasp. She turned to look at him and heard his voice in her head.

 _Crap._

* * *

 **Author's note: So I am extremely sorry for taking so long to update this! I have started my summer placement and suddenly there are not enough hours in the day!**

 **I am planning to organise some Ghost Hunt Awards and also Themed Writing Weeks (like in the FT fandom), so watch this space! If you have an suggestions, please don't hesitate to tell me!**

 **And I have to tell you all this because I am so damn excited... I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO JAPAN OMG FOR LIKE FIVE WEEKS OMG! I'm going to go to Shibuya just because I can... And maybe Disneyland too...**

 **Anyway, if any of you can guess why Gene gasped/swore, you can have a virtual cookie or another prize of your choosing!**

 **Please review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

"Hello, how might I help you?" a middle-aged foreign looking woman asked.

Mai looked to Gene, but he seemed stunned, so she answered for him.

"We're looking for a witch hunter," she explained.

"A witch hunter?" the woman seemed confused. "Please come in," she added. Mai took Gene's hand and dragged him in with Yasuhara hot on their heels. Mai watched as the woman picked up a book and seemed to look something up. The trio took a seat on the sofa.

" _A witch hunter!_ " she exclaimed suddenly in what Mai recognised as English. " _Martin! Do we know any witch hunters near here?_ "

A balding man appeared from an inner office scratching his head.

" _Are you sure that's the translation?_ " he asked with a frown.

Mai stared at the couple in confusion; she couldn't really follow what was being said.

"Yasuhara, do you understand this?" she whispered.

 _I do,_ Gene said into both their minds. _They are concerned about the translation of 'witch hunter'._

 _How do you know?_ Mai thought back.

 _Merpeople don't really have a concept of different languages. I can speak to anyone in their mother tongue,_ Gene attempted to explain. _It's like, our communication focuses on the meaning behind the thoughts?_

 _So you can speak every language?_ Yasuhara asked, impressed.

 _Only to people who speak the language in question. If I speak to these people, whatever I say will come out in English. I can't really control it,_ Gene told them with a hint of frustration.

 _That's so cool!_ Mai thought. Then realised that the couple were staring at them.

"Are you speaking telepathically?" the woman asked with curiosity.

"No," Mai insisted.

"We might know a witch hunter," the woman said. "My name is Luella. Would you like a drink?"

 _She's lying,_ Gene said to them both. _We need to get out of here surreptitiously._

"No thank you," Yasuhara said as the other two shook her head.

"Please wait here, I'll find the information you need."

The trio watched her retreat with the man into the office.

"They know I'm a merman," Gene whispered. "I know them and they recognise me."

"Then let's get out of here!" Mai made to stand up.

"Are you leaving?" Luella had reappeared with the man close behind her.

"Yeah, sorry!" Yasuhara said, also standing up.

"Please stay, we can help you!" Luella insisted.

 _I need you both to get out of here,_ Gene said seriously.

Yasuhara took Mai's hand and pulled her away from the couple. The couple's faced darkened.

 _Run! Go back to Mai's!_

Mai and Yasuhara did not need telling twice. They sprinted out of the office, down the stairs and out onto the street. They did not stop running until they reached the train station.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Yasuhara asked as they rode the train back towards Mai's apartment.

"Yeah," Mai said, thought she looked nervous.

But Gene did not appear for almost an hour after they arrived back at Mai's.

"What took you so long?" Mai demanded. "We were worried sick!"

Yasuhara only glared at Gene, who was pale as a sheet.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Come in," Mai said with a frown. "What happened?"

"I've never actually sung to someone who'd be affected by my voice before," Gene said once he'd sat on the sofa. "It was horrible. They both just stared and interpreted everything I said as an order and…"

"What did you tell them?"

"To forget me," Gene said. "But I'm not sure how well it worked… I didn't like it."

Mai threw her arms around him and embraced him. She did not know what to say to comfort her friend.

"Lets just chill for the afternoon," Yasuhara suggested. "We'll check out that other lead tomorrow."

* * *

When Noll first stepped onto a beach, he deemed it perfectly normal to walk around naked, as everyone else was doing so.

It wasn't until he reached the local town and started to hear the horrified - and some perverted - thoughts of the locals that he realised that the beach must be a special occasion.

He wasn't proud to admit that he stole clothes from someone's clothes line. Nor was he proud to use his abilities to get a lift to the nearest airport and talk himself onto a flight. But he was desperate.

His meeting with the sea witch near Greece to turn him human had been short and almost comical.

She had said he would remain human until he tasted love's true kiss. Noll scoffed at the idea, as if he'd find such a thing amongst the human population. As if he'd even look for it. He realised this would make turning back into his usual form a lot more difficult. Though after the pain of the initial transformation, he was not looking forward to it's reverse.

Noll decided very quickly he did not like planes. They were loud and crowded and far too far away from the water.

He glanced at the time - humans had wonderful inventions called clocks - and noted that there were only seven hours of the flight remaining. Seven hours… Just under a quarter of a day.

Noll sighed and tried his best to block out the thoughts of his fellow passengers. But he'd never had to deal with so many unguarded minds before. It was tough to block both the couple screwing in the bathroom's moans and the babies' terrified screams.

He tried to concentrate on his plan to find his brother when he arrived in Japan. He currently had nothing better than wander around until he caught a glimpse or heard a thought that might lead him closer. Noll's own ineptitude was driving him insane.

The couple in the bathroom finished and he sighed again.

Seven hours to go.

* * *

When Mai woke, Yasuhara and Gene were already up and making breakfast.

"You two cooked for me?" she asked incredulously.

"Figured we may as well," Gene said with a smile. He still didn't seem quite right after the visit to SPR. "Yasuhara has been teaching me how to use chopsticks."

"Awesome, got anywhere?"

"Not really, but once you've showered,can we go and talk to that exorcist? Yasuhara worked out how best to get there."

"Sure," Mai said as she took the bowl offered to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Gene said. "Just-" He stopped speaking suddenly.

"What?"

"I can hear him."

"What?"

"I can hear Noll,"

"What?" Yasuhara looked up from his seat, only just catching on to the conversation.

"Mai, go and shower, get dressed!" Gene ushered. "Quickly."

Mai complied.

"Won't he be able to hear you?" Yasuhara asked.

"Hopefully, actually you and Mai can help," Gene said. "Scream 'Noll' in your mind, I'll go and tell Mai."

"I wouldn't if she's in the shower…" Yasuhara pointed out.

"Oh, right, intimacy thing," Gene said with a shrug.

"Isn't your brother going to be angry at you?"

"Yup," Gene said with a wince.

"How close is he?" Yasuhara asked.

"Within the city," Gene replied with a concentrated look. "It's weird, normally I wouldn't be able to hear him over the sound of everyone else, but… It seems he's as uncomfortable in the human world as I am." Yasuhara looked awkward at these words. "Sorry," Gene said hastily. "I meant to no offence, it's just…"

"Culture shock?" Yasuhara offered.

"Something like that."

When Mai appeared, they left the apartment and followed Gene's lead. Both Mai and Yasuhara attempted to help by mentally yelling Noll's name, but Gene soon asked them to stop.

"You're giving me a headache," he muttered.

"Shall we get a drink?" Mai suggested. "My mum always used to say that water would help a headache, but I guess any drink would do."

Gene looked reluctant to stop looking, but Yasuhara rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Lets get a drink, your brother is probably heading our way. He'll be able to hear you too right?"

Gene nodded and allowed Yasuhara to lead them to a nearby coffee shop.

"I'm sorry," Gene muttered as Mai returned from the counter with a tray of cold drinks. "Just this whole thing has been rather…"

"Overwhelming?" Mai offered.

"A bit," he said. "At least Noll is close. It's hard to pinpoint him, but he's really…" Gene's eyes widened. Mai and Yasuhara looked around and out of the window to see a man identical to Gene standing just outside.

Gene flicked his head to invite his brother in.

Noll joined them, looking extremely uncomfortable with the entire situation.

 _You're an idiot,_ he said to Gene.

 _Just hear me out,_ Gene replied.

"They're talking between themselves, aren't they?" Yasuhara whispered to Mai.

"I think so," Mai said, observing the pair. It was odd to see two people quite clearly having a conversation when no words were being voiced. She noticed how Gene was so much more animated than his counterpart.

"Maybe we should have a secret conversation," Yasuhara suggested.

"Really? When they can hear our thoughts?" Mai said with a raised eyebrow. "Talking of that, whatever dirty thoughts you were thinking, you should probably get them under control before he hears them." She nodded her head towards Noll. Yasuhara's cheeks went pink. "Just how dirty are these thoughts?"

"You really don't want to know," Gene butted in.

"Humans are awful," Noll muttered, testing his voice. His was as raspy as Gene's had been a few days ago.

"If you wanna do the thought thingy, we don't mind," Mai said quickly with a gracious smile.

 _You really ought to guard those thoughts Mai,_ Gene said directly to her. Mai's cheeks joined Yasuhara's in their lovely rosey shade.

 _What thoughts?_ she replied defiantly as she desperate began building the mental walls.

But Gene did not need to say anything. Noll was already smirking.

"Are you going to try and stop me?" Gene asked his brother, drawing his attention away from a blushing Mai.

 _I have half a mind to drag you straight back into the ocean,_ Noll hissed to his brother. _But as neither of us will return to our true forms just yet…_

Gene grinned and then lept on his brother.

"You're the best," he said with a genuine grin. Noll pushed Gene off. "I have so much to tell you! All about the internet and showers and the way they do sex is so weird!"

Yasuhara - who had just been about to take a sip of his drink - sputtered.

"Gene! Not in public!" he reprimanded.

"I don't need you to tell me about it," Noll muttered in a husky voice. "I heard enough of it on the plane here."

"You got a plane!" Gene cried in astonishment. "I'm so jealous! Though I didn't like trains…"

"I doubt you'd like planes," Yasuhara said quickly. "Or automobiles…" Mai sniggered, but the twins looked on in confusion. "Never mind."

"I think we should get you back to my place," Mai said to Noll. "You can shower and change, if-" She turned to Yasuhara. "-you could lend him some clothes too?"

"What am I now? A rental service?"

"Better than a rent boy…" Gene muttered and Mai let out a burst of laughter.

 _What's a rent boy?_ Noll asked, aiming this mental transmission to Mai.

 _Young male prostitute, someone who rents their body out for sex_ , she explained back.

 _Why would he…?_

 _Gene has been teasing him non-stop for the last few days, though they do half of it mentally so I miss out on it_ , she replied. Noll nodded his thanks.

"Let's get going then," Gene said. "Once Noll has smartened up and doesn't smell like Yasuhara's used socks then we can find this exorcist."

"Exorcist?" Noll enquired.

"We'll explain on the way," Mai said and she led the way out of the coffee shop and down the street.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I am a very bad person for not updating this! I had like half a chapter written ages ago and then a lot of things happened and I meant to get something up before going to Poland and then Fluff week happened (thanks everyone who took part!) and yeah, so I'm super sorry!**

 **I will try my best not to be so crappy in future!**

 **No promises.**

 **I wasn't originally planning to bring Noll in for another chapter or so but I missed him and wanted him here. Plus excuses to have Mai blushing...**

 **Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

They stopped off at Yasuhara's house on the way back to Mai's. Partly to reassure Yasuhara's parents that he wasn't dead but also to pick up some more clothes.

It wasn't until Mai let them all into her apartment that she realised she now had three men all staying in her home.

"I'll go and teach Noll how to use the shower," Gene declared and dragged his brother off.

"Remember, no showering together!" Mai called after them and she heard Gene laugh. "How many people do you need for a harem?" she asked Yasuhara a moment later. He followed her to the kitchen area and sat pensively at the table while she began to make tea.

"At least three of the opposite gender," he said finally. "Two would make it a love triangle, right? Why'd you ask?"

"Well I have three handsome young men in my apartment…" Mai said with an amused expression.

"I'm sorry Mai," Yasuhara began seriously. "But-"

"I know, I know," Mai said quickly with a laugh. "You don't feel that way about me and I wouldn't want you to. The whole situation just reminded me of a bad anime or something."

"I wouldn't be so sure that Gene feels that way either…" Yasuhara muttered in a low voice but Mai did not hear as the kettle boiled as he spoke.

When she began pouring four cups of tea, Gene reappeared.

"I think he's got the hang of it," he said, wiping damp hands on his trousers. "It's weird, even though different witches changed us, our human bodies are identical too!"

"You checked?" Mai asked, with a mildly disgusted look on her face.

"I was curious! Do you want to see?" he offered with a smirk;

"No," Mai insisted. She handed Gene and Yasuhara both cups of tea and left Noll's on the side. It was too hot to drink anyway. "We'll head off once he's ready, is he hungry?"

Gene sent a mental message to his twin and relayed the answer.

"If it's as awful as the food on the plane, he'd rather starve."

Yasuhara laughed.

"Mai's cooking isn't that bad!"

"I know it isn't," Gene agreed. "Perhaps we should get some lunch before heading to find the exorcist?"

"Definitely," Mai said and she began fussing with the rice cooker. "Hang on, we haven't had sushi! How can we have not had sushi?"

"What do you mean?" Gene asked, nonplussed.

"Because nori is made of seaweed," Yasuhara explained. "Might be closer to home."

"Sounds good," Gene said, smiling at Yasuhara.

At that moment, Noll appeared dressed in Yasuhara's clothes and holding a sopping wet towel.

 _What should I do with this?_ He directed his question at Mai, who answered by handing him the cup of tea and taking the towel from him.

"I'll sort it out," she said kindly. When she returned from hanging the towel on her clothes horse to dry, she found that Noll had finished his drink.

 _What is this?_ he asked, raising the cup.

"Tea," Mai replied. "Did you like it?"

"He drained his mug, didn't he?" Gene said with a smirk. "I think he liked it."

 _I'm perfectly capable of answering for myself_ , Noll said tersely.

"You'll need to speak out loud when we go to see the exorcist," Yasuhara said. "We don't want him getting suspicious."

"Communicating like this is laborious," Noll muttered, his voice still raspy.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it," Gene said comfortingly, placing an arm around his brother's shoulder. "And you'll sound less hoarse the more you do it."

"Yasuhara, come here and help," Mai called as she began cutting up food for lunch. "Stir this." She handed him a spoon to stir the food in the wok.

"They're talking amongst themselves," he noted, nodding his head towards the silently communicating twins who had taken a seat on the sofa.

"I think they missed each other," Mai said, smiling to herself. "But they'll be gone soon."

"I know," Yasuhara replied and his face went uncharacteristically blank.

"You like him, don't you?" Mai asked quietly. Yasuhara stared at her incredulously. "I'll check the rice, it should be almost done.

"Mai, you can't say that or think that," Yasuhara hissed. "Just remove that idea from your brain."

"The rice is done," Mai said, ignoring her friend as she began dishing rice into bowls.

"Mai, what if he hears?" Yasuhara moaned desperately.

"I just said you liked him! You took it to mean..." Mai trailed off and smirked. "Besides," she continued, looking around at the pair of identical brothers. Noll was pulling a slightly disgusted face at whatever Gene was describing to him. "They seem preoccupied."

Yasuhara made a low guttural noise and began serving food while Mai found chopsticks for everyone. They handed out food and began to eat.

Much to Gene's dismay, Noll picked up the chopsticks and began using them as if he'd been using them all his life.

"How do you do that?" he asked incredulously.

 _It's simple,_ he replied. _You have trouble?_

"Out loud little brother," Gene scolded. "And yes, they are difficult."

Noll scoffed and continued to eat.

Once they had all eaten their fill, Yasuhara led the way to the to the address given by the exorcist; a church.

As they walked from the nearest station to their destination, Mai snagged Noll's attention now that he had caught up with his brother.

"I want to thank you for rescuing me," she said, smiling gratefully.

"Okay," Noll replied gruffly.

"Your brother seemed surprised you saved a human, why?"

"Humans do their best to kill and capture merpeople," he growled.

"So why did you save me?" she quipped. Noll glared at her.

"You looked small enough to be a child," he retorted. "I would not let a child drown."

Mai scowled, but she did not let this insult tarnish their conversation.

"So which witch turned you?"

"Sea witch named Ursula near Greece," Noll said.

"You're kidding me right? Like from the movie?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Then do the mind reading thing," Mai said and began thinking her hardest about the film in question. "Is she anything like that?"

"No."

"Oh," Mai mumbled, obviously disappointed.

"Nor did she ask for my voice in return."

"What did she ask for?" Mai enquired.

"That if I didn't taste love's true kiss within a week, she'd take me as her slave for all eternity," he said blandly as if reciting words previously told to him. Mai stopped in horror and stared.

"And you agreed to that?"

Noll turned and indicated Mai should keep walking, she stepped forward reluctantly.

"It was that or potentially never see my brother again," Noll said quietly. _Please do not mention it to Gene._

"But what are you gonna do if you don't find someone to kiss?" Mai asked, eyes wide.

"As long as Gene is safe…" He did not finish the sentence.

Mai watched him in wonder as they walked.

"You really care for him, huh?"

Noll did not respond as the church loomed into sight.

"This is it, I think," Yasuhara said with a grin. "Shall we?"

"Let's!" Gene agreed with a grin. He and Yasuhara led the way with Mai and Noll close behind.

An old man greeted them at the door.

"My name is Father Toujou, how may I help you?" he asked with a genuine smile and his arms thrown open in greeting..

"We're looking for 'John Brown'? The exorcist?"

"For John-kun? Ah, come in, I'll go and fetch him."

They followed Father Toujou into the church and took a seat in one of the pews.

 _Do you have churches under the sea?_ Mai asked her two telepathic pals.

 _No,_ Gene replied. _We have shrines to various sea gods. Very few people visit them._

Father Toujou returned after a few minutes of awkward silence with a short blonde man. Mai had not expected a native with a name like 'John Brown', but she had not expected someone so young. He looked barely older than she was!

Though perhaps, she reflected, this would make him easier to convince.

"It's nice to meet you," he said in a heavily accented voice.

 _Mai, Yasuhara, we're in trouble, we can't speak Japanese too him,_ Gene hissed.

"Nice to meet you too," Mai said.

 _Then let us do the talking?_ Yasuhara suggested.

 _Or just speak his language if you want, I don't think he'd mind!_ Mai added in.

" _Perhaps you'd prefer to talk like this,_ " Gene offered. " _I'm fluent and it might make it easier to explain my predicament._ "

" _You speak English?_ " John asked with a hopeful gleam in his eye. " _If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate it!_ "

Mai very quickly lost the thread of the conversation as her level of English was nothing compared to the fluent tongues of the people around her. Even Yasuhara managed to join in here and there.

She stared around the church, pouting slightly in annoyance, and silently resolved to work harder in her English lessons when she returned to school.

 _They are not discussing anything Gene has not already told you,_ a voice said into her mind.

 _Great,_ Mai replied sullenly to Noll. Then, as if realising that she was being a brat, she mentally shook herself. _Is he going to help us?_

 _It appears that way,_ Noll replied. Mai found it very odd to be having a conversation with someone several feet away who wasn't even looking in her direction and who was talking in another language to another person at the same time. She couldn't help but feel slightly more incompetent that she did a minute ago.

But she did notice the change of tone in the conversation. They seemed to be wrapping things up.

"Come on Mai," Yasuahra said suddenly and she followed the three men, feeling somewhat like a disobedient puppy left the trail after its master to finds its way home.

"We're meeting him tomorrow and getting the train to the beach," Gene explained as they left the church. "A very nice young man, he genuinely wants to help."

"Thats good," Mai said with a smile. "Back to mine then?"

"Please," Gene said. "We agreed earlier to make sushi did we not?"

"Well, maki might be easier, especially if you two don't want fish."

"Fish are friends, not food," Noll said seriously.

"We know," Yasuhara said, with an attempt to hide his smirk. "Shall we stop off and get some stuff to put in it?"

"Good idea," Mai concurred. "I'm going to run out of food fast with three boys to cook for."

* * *

Making vegan maki went a lot better than Mai expected it too. Admittedly, Gene did eat half of the fillings before it reached the rolls and Noll complained that he didn't see the point of rolling it when the individual parts could be eaten quicker separately, but on the whole they deemed the meal a success.

"It sure is going to be cosy in this makeshift bed tonight," Yasuhara muttered, referring to the pile of blankets and sleeping bags.

"Well," Mai began with an amused look on her face. "If you want to take my bed, I'm happy to share with these two." She stuck her tongue out childishly.

"So it is not socially acceptable for friends to shower together, but sleeping together is fine?" Noll asked. His voice had lost a little of its raspy quality has the evening had worn on.

"Um, well as long as you mean just sleeping in the same bed and not sleeping together then it's okay," she said, emphasising to try and hint at the connotations the phrase had.

"Gene told me of your human intercourse methods and it sounds like a lot of unnecessary fluids," Noll said disdainfully, obviously catching on. However Mai did not know if he understood the inflection in her voice or merely read her mind.

"Noll, you missed the point!" Gene exclaimed. "It feels good to humans to do that! Though some humans do things with the hole they poop out of and-"

"I just ate!" Mai complained loudly. "I don't want to hear it!"

"Yasuhara told me all about it!" Gene went on.

"Hey!" Yasuhara protested.

"I don't want to hear that!" Mai squealed, covering her eyes with her hands.

 _At least you don't have them projecting images at you,_ Noll muttered just to Mai.

"Eww!" she squealed again at the very thought. "Lets talk about something more savoury. No more bedroom talk at the dinner table."

"We could get down from the table," Gene suggested cheekily. Mai refrained from throwing something at him.

"What will you two do once you've freed Masako?" Yasuhara asked, as sensing Mai's violent thoughts - even though he could not hear them - and determined to avoid her acting upon them.

"Return home," Gene said with a shrug. "She'll be able to turn us back, right Noll?"

"Right," Noll agreed, still gazing at his plate.

Mai stared at Noll, she had hidden the piece of information he had shared with her earlier behind her mental brick wall to shield it from their minds. He had advised her as they travelled back from the church to start with a little wall and build upwards. She had chosen to heed his advice.

"Who's washing up?" she asked finally.

"We'll do it," Gene said, standing up and giving Yasuhara's shoulder a quick squeeze. Mai watched the two exchange a glance. "You two go and pick a film for us or something," he suggested over his shoulder.

Noll followed Mai to where she kept her films and observed her flick through the options.

"Do you have any preference?"

 _No_ , he replied.

"Tired of talking?"

 _Tired of listening to inane human babble._

"Sorry," Mai mumbled and she stopped looking at the DVDs. She felt her eyes begin to water as his harsh words. "If you want me to-"

"Would you make tea?" Noll interrupted.

"Of course," Mai stood up and left him. As she entered the kitchen, she wiped a stray tear from her eyes and was greeted with the sight of Yasuhara and Gene standing far closer together than she would expect of two friends chatting. "Sorry!" she said quickly.

"Mai! We just finished," Gene said as if slightly surprised and then he frowned. "What's wrong? What did Noll say?"

"Nothing," Mai replied quickly. "Just making him some tea. Go on, I'll be through in a minute."

Gene strode out, obviously intent on having a word with his brother, but Yasuhara lingered.

"Mai," he said quietly. "I think I'm in trouble…"

"Why?" she asked as she began brewing tea.

"I really like Gene," he whispered, sounding almost scared of the words he had uttered. "But he's going to be gone soon."

Mai did not say anything until she'd poured four cups of tea.

"We'll deal with that when we come to it, enjoy it now," she said kindly. "Will you help me with these?"

When they returned to Noll and Gene, Mai and Yasuhara found the twins to be having an entirely silent but evidently serious argument.

"You know I think I am glad I can't hear it," Yasuhara muttered as he watched Gene gesture wildly and Noll scowl in return. Their faces were forming facial expressions as expected in an ordinary conversation, but Mai had to admit it was extremely odd not to see mouths moving.

"We brought tea," she said in an attempt to break up the muted battle. Both twins looked around. Noll took his cup without saying anything. Gene sighed, apologised on his brother's behalf and took his own cup with a word of thanks.

The evening was somewhat awkward after that. Tension between Mai and Noll. Tension between Noll and Gene. Tension between Gene and Yasuhara.

Mai opted to encourage going to bed early, and she sincerely hoped they'd all have moved on in the morning.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well I'm trying to decide who to kill off and just how evil our villain shall be in this story... Tough tough decisions!**

 **Next chapter we'll see more of John, meet Masako and -**

 **I should stop there before I spoil all the fun!**

 **Please check out the forum, a few of us are trying to find the best way to set up some way for all us GH fans to chat! We currently have a Chatstep thing going, but if anyone has any other suggestions, I would love to hear them!**

 **Likewise, if any of you want to add me on Tumblr, Twitter, Skype, Facebook, DeviantArt or any of those sorts of things, just send me a message, I like chatting with you all!**

 **Please review :D**


	7. Chapter 7

Mai was the first to wake next morning. She snuck out of her makeshift bed and noted where the boys had fallen asleep. Noll had crept onto the sofa and was curled up so tightly it was almost as if he was trying to see how small he could make himself. Gene on the other hand was spread-eagled only half in his sleeping bag. Yasuhara was on his side and drooling slightly.

"If only you'd all stay like this," she mumbled to herself with a sad smile as she made her way to the shower.

The flat was quiet as she stripped and turned the shower on as hot as she knew she could bear. Mai winced slightly as the water burned her skin but she savoured the feel.

 _I apologise for my behaviour yesterday,_ a voice suddenly projected itself into Mai's mind. _I was wrong for taking my frustration out on you._

Mai wasn't entirely sure how to take this. One the one hand, she was pleased he had apologised. But on the other, he was projecting his message into her mind while she was naked in the shower and feeling rather vulnerable.

 _I would stop thinking about what you look like in the shower unless you want me to see that too._

Mai squealed and hurried to cover herself while trying to think avidly of anything else.

 _Stop being a pervert!_ she hissed back.

 _I was looking at the situation from a point of scientific interest, having not seen a nude female human before. I can assure you the sight gives me no pleasure._

Mai went scarlet with indignation.

 _What's wrong with my body?_ she asked defiantly.

 _A distinct lack of a tail_.

Mai scowled and continued washing her body. She knew it was utterly ridiculous for her to feel offended. He was a different species after all. But something about his words nettled Mai; it wasn't like she could help being human.

Mentally cussing herself for allowing herself to think that she needed the merman's validation, Mai climbed out of the shower and dried herself. If she liked her body, that was all that mattered.

X~X~X

Noll sat at the little table in the kitchen area as we he waited for the others to wake or in Mai's case, finish showering. He found himself concentrating on Mai's thoughts as he found it the most effective way to block out the onslaught of other human thoughts and they were certainly more interesting that Yasuhara's dreams.

He amused himself with her thoughts of exactly what she would look like as a mermaid. She had mentally tried on several different tails as she dressed her human body. Noll could not bring himself to interrupt her revelry to inform her that mermaids did not wear shells over their breasts.

She appeared a few minutes later with wet hair. She spotted Noll and huffed before putting the kettle on.

 _Are you making tea?_ he asked.

 _Not for you,_ she thought back bitterly.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

 _Do you want to wake the others up?_ he asked. She had not spotted his smirk.

 _Probably ought to._

 _Scream in your head and aim it Gene's way,_ Noll suggested.

Mai turned and narrowed her eyes at him slightly before apparently complying. She even screwed her face up.

Gene jumped almost a metre into the air and a strangled noise escaped his mouth, which in turn woke Yasuhara up.

"What the hell Mai?!" Gene exclaimed, but Mai was already giggling. "I thought someone had died!"

"It was Noll's idea!" she complained.

"You didn't have to listen," Yasuhara pointed out, but he too was laughing a little.

An hour or so later, when the boys had showered and everyone had eaten, they all headed out to the train station and met up with John, who was already there and waiting.

"Hey!" Mai greeted him and he smiled back.

They jumped on the train and immediately spotted a problem. Seats came in pairs and there were five of them.

"I'll sit by myself," Mai said quickly.

"No," John insisted. "I have things I can read, please?"

He said it with such an adorable and beseeching smile on his face that Mai could not bring herself to argue with the man. So she took a seat next to Yasuhara and opposite Noll around a little table. Gene was staring avidly out of the window, almost bouncing in excitement as the train pulled away.

"You know," Gene said. "I think I do like trains after all, we're going so fast!"

Noll rolled his eyes.

Fifteen minutes into the journey Mai sincerely wished that she had brought a pack of cards with her so they had something to do. Then she realised that the twins would be able to cheat very easily. She mentally scowled at their unfair advantage and vowed never to play strip poker with them. Not that she'd play such a game anyway. But still.

Mai noticed Noll smirking at her and figured he was probably listening into her thoughts. She promptly sent him a string of expletives. His smirk grew and Gene looked around in alarm.

 _He's shocked at your choice of language,_ Noll mentioned.

 _I'd noticed,_ Mai replied with a giggle. Then she noticed John looking around at her with a confused expression and quickly looked out of the window.

Fortunately, he did not question it and returned to reading his book.

When they arrived at the beach, Mai quickly flicked off her flip flops and ran childishly into the water.

"What is she doing?" Gene asked, evidently amused.

"Jumping over the waves!" Mai squealed in delight.

 _Idiot._

Mai stuck her tongue out at the twin who she knew had insulted her and then smiled at John, who looked uneasy.

"Come on Mai," Yasuhara said. "We need to climb over these rocks before the tide comes in."

Mai scowled and followed him to the beginning of the rocks. She took great pleasure in watching Noll stumble as they clambered over the rocks. He obviously hadn't quite got as used to his humans legs as Gene.

"Mai, you climb like a monkey!" John said, evidently meaning this as a compliment.

 _Rabid animal more like._

Mai almost lost her footing at his words and she scowled.

When they made into the little cut off beach, Gene quickly took the lead with Yasuhara and John close behind. Noll hung back a little.

 _I don't like this,_ he thought to Mai.

 _Why?_

But he didn't answer. Mai had to admit the cave looked a bit creepy, but Gene trusted this sea witch right? Though she had only known him a few days, he seemed sensible enough.

They walked into the cave and the darkness consumed them.

"Hello?" a girlish voice called. "Eugene? Is that you?"

"Masako?" Gene called, still in the lead. "Any chance of some lighting?"

"Of course," the voice said and the cave was suddenly filled with an ethereal white glow. Mai spotted a young woman, no older than she was, dressed in what looked at first like an ornate kimono. But upon closer inspection, Mai realised it was made of sea debris. The young woman herself was pale and beautiful with hair darker than the night and eyes that seemed to see more than should be allowed.

"It's nice to see you again," Gene said with a winning smile. Mai noticed Noll was watching his brother, rather than the sea witch.

"I see you brought someone to free me, I am most grateful!"

"I'm sorry that you were wrongly imprisoned," John said shakily. He was smiling, but Mai could feel him tremble slightly and she wondered if he had ever done something like this. "I hope to right that wrong."

"It would be most welcome," Masako said and the light sparkled in her eyes as she hid her mouth with her sleeve. The action made Mai feel uneasy.

Before she could say anything though, John began chanting. Mai had to admire how beautiful his voice sounded, though she could not understand a single word.

Mai felt a strong arm pull her back as a bright light filled the cave around Masako. She looked around and saw Noll staring in horror at what was happening. Yasuhara was cowering slightly, but Gene was looking on with wide and eager eyes.

The light disappeared suddenly and Mai could hear panting that she guessed was John's. Then the ethereal light returned and no one could miss the broad grin on Masako's face.

"This is wonderful," she declared and in an instant, she was by the cave entrance. It was like she had almost teleported. "Freedom," she hissed as she basked in the midday sun.

"John, are you alright?" Mai asked. The small man seemed to have fallen to the floor at some point. She made towards him to check he was okay.

Mai's words seemed to draw Masako's attention back to her guests.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," she said with a giggle. "You-" She pointed at Yasuhara. "-are useless to me." He disappeared. Just vanished into thin air.

"Yasuhara!" Mai screamed, rushing to where he had just stood. "What did you do to him?"

"Just got rid of him," Masako replied with a smirk. "Now, where was I? Oh yes, you can be bound to this cave, like I have been…" Something white shot out of her fingers and struck John in the chest. He crumpled to the floor. Her attention turned to Gene. "You're already under my control." She waved a finger and Gene walked towards her without protest.

"Gene!" Mai called. "Don't! Come back!"

 _Don't bother, he's bewitched_ , Noll said, sounding angry at himself.

"You seem to be in enough of a dilemma with your 'true love' issue so I might leave you to suffer, Ursula always did have a flair for dramatic torture," Masako continued. "And that leaves this pretty little thing…"

Mai felt invisible hands drag her forwards.

"Leave her alone," Noll growled.

"Let me go!" Mai wriggled but she could not escape.

"I know!" Masako said with a manic grin. She waved her hands and Mai's body was wracked with pain. She felt like the skin on her legs was being burned off and regrown all too quickly. Her neck stung and her brain felt like it was on fire. The pain spread down to her fingers. It was agony like she had never felt and just when she thought she could bear it no longer, it all stopped.

She hadn't realised she'd been lifted into the air until she fell promptly to the floor of the cave.

"Ouch!" Mai reached down to rub her… But her legs were gone.

"And you won't be needing that!" Masako said and suddenly Mai felt exposed. "After all, mermaids don't wear clothes…" Mai looked down to see that her top had disappeared. She clamped her hands over her chest and saw red. Literally.

She had a dark red tail.

Masako the sea witch had turned Mai into a mermaid.

* * *

 **Author's note: Oh look, another chapter! It's a little short but this chapter needs to end here really... And yeah, I went for a red tail because I think Mai and red makes perfect sense!**

 **Please review :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_...why is the sand so hot…_

 _...where has she…_

 _...eeek! so cold…._

 _...sand in the bloody sandwiches…_

… _and then I'll have to fly out the next day…_

 _...perhaps I will take the Gravitation course..._

 _...such a good idea…_

"Stop…"

 _...I wonder if she knows I can see her…_

 _...that lifeguard…_

 _...maybe Kenji wants ice cream…_

 _...knew I shouldn't've worn this…_

"Make it stop…" Mai moaned.

 _...if he only knew what he was missing…_

 _...why does it hurt…_

 _...wheres Mummy…_

 _...that looks awful…_

 _...eww are they…._

… _stripper AU sounds like a great…_

 _...is he drowning his…_

"Help, please, make it stop…"

… _what on earth…_

… _where did I put the…_

 _...what an…_

 _Mai._

 _...this is fantastic…_

 _...disgusting and in public…_

 _...so warm…_

 _Mai._

"Why is everyone shouting?"

 _Mai, listen to me. Hide behind the brick wall._

 _...in this heat…_

 _...ewww that's so gross…_

 _Mai, hide behind the brick wall. Let only me in._

Somewhere in the dim corners of Mai's brain, words began to register. Her brick wall. Of course. She summoned it and surrounded herself so that she was cocooned in a mental brick igloo.

Then she felt someone knocking to get in.

Tentatively, she opened a mental door and let Noll inside.

 _You let them overwhelm you. Now sit up._

Mai opened her eyes and realised that she was on the ground with her hands over her ears. She pushed herself into a sitting position and saw Noll crouched beside her.

 _What…?_ she started to ask a question, but the events came rushing back to her. _Where's Yasuhara? Where's Gene? What about John?_

 _I have no idea about Yasuhara,_ Noll replied. _Gene and the sea witch vanished while you were thrashing on the floor. John has been knocked out._

 _What are we going to do?_ she asked, terrified. And then realised that she was still without a top. Squealing, she made to cover herself.

 _Don't bother, no mermaid wears a top,_ Noll muttered.

 _Really?_

But Mai did not remove her hands from her breasts.

 _We'll have to get you into the water,_ Noll thought. _I know some people that will help you. Then I will sort John out and…_

 _What about Yasuhara? And Gene?_

 _I'll deal with that,_ Noll stated.

 _How? I want to help! I don't want to be a mermaid! You know nothing about being human and…_ she faltered.

 _I'll manage,_ Noll said. He scooped her into his arms and began towards the mouth of the cave.

 _Noll, I'm sorry. I see what you mean about how noisy humans are_ , Mai thought. She experimentally flicked the end of her tail.

She squinted as Noll stepped into the bright sunlight.

 _I'll take you into the water and ensure you can breathe,_ Noll said.

 _But you'll get all wet,_ Mai replied.

 _I'm a merman, water won't hurt me._

 _But your clothes,_ she protested.

 _They'll dry,_ he thought. But as he reached the water's edge, he placed Mai on the sand and began taking his clothes off.

 _What are you doing?_ she thought quickly.

 _No point in getting them unnecessarily wet._

 _You don't have to take them all off!_

He paused when left in nothing but boxers and appraised Mai. He rolled his eyes and piled the rest of his clothes away from the lapping water. Then he picked her up again and waded into the water.

 _It's not cold,_ she thought as her tail was swallowed by the sea's surface.

 _Not to merpeople, feels freezing to humans,_ Noll commented. Mai giggled and he silenced her laughter by dropping her into the water. She gasped and spluttered for air under the surface before realising that she didn't need to. She could breath.

Mai felt at her neck and felt the gills flapping. Delighted with this, she kicked her tail out and propelled herself through the water. Cool liquid rushed over her skin and scales and she forgot momentarily that she was naked.

It was oddly liberating.

 _Mai, come here,_ Noll's thoughts penetrated her enjoyment of swimming under the water. She swam as fast as she could towards the surface and felt her body burst into the air. Mai crashed back onto the surface with a loud splash and only then did she realise just how far she had swam.

As fast as she could, she returned to Noll, who was standing waist deep and looking almost longingly at the water.

 _You miss it?_

 _Yes,_ he admitted. _Swim straight out and mentally call out for Madoka. Tell her you know me and explain the situation, she'll look after you._

 _And if she doesn't?_ Mai asked, trying not to show her nerves.

 _Then she'll have me to answer to,_ he retorted. He patted her on the shoulder in what she presumed was supposed to be a reassuring manner. _Go._

Mai offered him one last smile before turning and diving into the water.

Noll watched her go and was thankful she could not break his own mental barrier.

* * *

When John woke, he noticed that everything was very dark. The floor below him was damp and sandy.

" _John?"_ a familiar voice said.

" _Who…?"_

" _Noll,"_ he responded, " _Do you remember what happened?"_

" _I released the sea witch and then... "_ John trailed off, unable to remember any further.

" _She knocked you out, Yasuhara disappeared, Gene was bewitched and Mai…"_

" _Mai?"_

" _Never mind, Mai is gone,"_ Noll said. " _Can you stand?"_

" _I think so,"_ John said as he attempted to get up. His legs were wobbly, but he managed it. " _What are we going to do?_ " he asked as they walked towards the mouth of the cave. Noll stooped to pick up Mai's bag that she'd dropped at some point.

Noll did not say anything. Mostly because we did not know what the best course of action was. He wanted to find his brother, but how was he to locate him when the sea witch could have taken him anywhere?

" _We'll get back to civilisation,"_ Noll said. It was a start if nothing else.

" _Uhh, Noll? I can't move,"_ John mumbled. Noll turned to see the priest pushing against some sort of invisible barrier and the full details of exactly what Masako had done to the man came back to him. John was trapped.

* * *

Gene knew, vaguely, that something was wrong. He was finding it incredibly hard to concentrate. He could feel his legs moving and mouth talking. But he wasn't entirely sure what was going on. It all felt very distant.

He was sure that he needed to talk to his brother. His brother? He had a brother?

The name Noll sounded familiar somehow…

But the fog was taking over and Gene knew no more.

* * *

Mai screamed inside her head as she swam deeper and deeper into the ocean. She found that even though she could no longer see the surface, she could easily make out the things around her.

She wasn't sure how long she had swam for when she heard a response.

 _Yes? Who are you and what do you want?_

 _Noll sent me, he said you'd help?_ Mai replied nervously.

 _Noll sent you?_ And Mai felt a knife at her throat. Mai squealed audibly and she felt the knife retract a little. _You aren't so good at hiding your mind, human._

 _Then you can see why I need help,_ Mai replied.

 _Well Lin certainly isn't going to like this._

* * *

When Yasuhara opened his eyes, he couldn't believe where he was.

He was in his own bedroom, lying on his bed.

By the looks of the light out of his window, it was either late evening or early morning. But he could not be sure. Gingerly, Yasuhara at up and felt his head. He felt drunk. Not drunk as in he'd consumed too much alcohol. Drunk as in someone had shoved him up in a glass, blitzed in some ice and swallowed him.

"Osamu? When did you get in?" he looked around to see his mother standing in the doorway. "Are you ill?"

"I think so," Yasuhara replied.

"You should get some rest dear," she said soothingly. "I'll let you lie in today. Are you going to see Mai again?"

"Mai?" The events of the cave came rushing back to him. "Yeah, I should do."

He wanted to get up and find Mai and check she was okay. But he honestly didn't think his body would hold him.

"Get some rest, if you're feeling better later then you can go and see her."

Yasuhara fell back onto his bed and within seconds was asleep, completely unaware that his best friend was a mermaid.

* * *

The first port of call after being freed from that infernal cave was of course to find some new clothes. Masako was sick of wearing the same goddamn kimono. She wanted something new, something fancy, something that told the world exactly how powerful she was.

And oh how the world provided for her.

Fashion had moved on greatly in the last few centuries.

Masako particularly liked the new undergarments. She pranced around the lingerie store for hours, trying on every single piece and minorly cursing any woman she deemed even remotely as attractive as she was.

Her new lapdog, Gene was following her around like a lost puppy. Bless him.

"Eugene, what do you think?" she asked as she twirled in a black corset, matching underwear, stockings and suspenders.

"Beautiful," he replied.

"I know, but does it say 'I could kill you with a look'?"

"Yes."

"Excellent," Masako said with a smirk. "Oi, you!" She waved an impatient arm at the assistant. "I'll take this."

And so her trip continued. From store to store until Gene's arms were full of her bags.

"Now, I think we need somewhere to stay," Masako mused. Gene did not reply. "Where did that peasant girl live? Was it acceptable?"

"Yes."

"Well it'll do for the night I suppose, I can upgrade tomorrow," Masako said. "Take me there."

* * *

 **Author's note: I'm sorry this is a bit short, but I have to get up at 4:30 tomorrow to get a bus to Slovakia to get a plane to the UK to drive to my grandparents to suffer for an afternoon before driving to MK to get a train back to Manchester!**

 **Eugh.**

 **Not looking forward to that.**

 **Please check out the forum for info on Humour Week (THIS IS ACTUALLY SUCH A HARD CHALLENGE! I cannot be funny on purpose... But I will manage it for you guys!) and I hope you all take part!**

 **And so you're all aware... I'M GOING TO JAPAN ON FRIDAY OMG. But this means my updates will be all over the place... So apologies in advance!**

 **Now I'll admit that I don't know exactly how this is going to end. I am not entirely sure how they are going to get out of the fix they are in (I did just have an idea which might be quite amusing...). But SOMEBODY (mentioning no names *cough*) suggested I just leave it with an unhappy ending... So that they are truly Poor Unfortunate Souls...**

 **ANYWAY, enough of my rambling.**

 **Please review :)**


	9. Chapter 9

_Right, stay inside your mental block, okay?_ Madoka advised as they reached Madoka and Lin's residence. Like most mermaids, they lived in caves on the ocean floor. At least, they often began as caves, but most families had extended their properties using things found from sunken boats and the like.

 _Is that a shipping container?_ Mai asked.

 _Waste not, want not,_ Madoka replied. _I once visited a cousin who lives in the North Atlantic Ocean in the remains of a boat called the Titanic? I think that was it name…_

Mai was too busy staring at her surroundings to take much notice of Madoka's ramblings. Though they were at the bottom of the ocean, she could see everything in bright colour. But the colours looked somehow different from normal ones. It was as if they were all completely new colours that she had never seen before.

They entered Madoka and Lin's home and Madoka showed her through to what Mai presumed to be a living room.

 _Right, are you-_

 _Madoka, who the hell is this?_ A tall – or would long be more appropriate? – merman swam out of another entrance. He had a dark green tail and dark hair and his eyes did nothing to hide his fury.

 _This is Mai,_ Madoka replied.

 _I know you miss Noll and Gene but bringing a human into our home is downright crazy Madoka!_

Mai winced.

 _Sorry,_ Mai thought to him. _Noll told me to find you._

 _Where is Noll?_ Lin demanded. He turned on Mai and she began backing away as he swam towards her.

 _On land with the humans, Masako got Gene and…_ she trailed off. Lin looked furious. But he deflated slightly as Madoka placed a hand on his shoulder.

 _There's nothing we can do for them, Noll wants us to look after Mai. It's all we can do right now,_ Madoka thought soothingly. Lin scowled and began swimming out of the room.

 _Do what you like; I'll have nothing to do with it._

The two mermaids watched him go.

 _You must be starving,_ Madoka thought to Mai. _I'll get you some food and then you can explain everything that's happened._

* * *

Yasuhara knocked on the door of Mai's house, sincerely hoping she was there. But no one answered.

He tried again.

And waited.

And tried again.

And wai-

The door opened.

"Gene! Where's Mai? What's…?" Yasuhara fumbled his words as Gene stepped aside to see Masako standing there.

"Oh I wondered where you got to!" she said with a smile that would freeze fire. "Come in." She waved a finger at him and Yasuhara felt an invisible force push on his back so that he stumbled into the building. "Take your shoes off."

Yasuhara did so while not taking an eye off of Masako.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I think a more interesting question would be what are you doing here?" she replied as she meandered through the furniture to the sofa. "Though I can guess your answer.."

"Where is Mai? And what have you done to Gene?"

Masako rolled her eyes.

"I didn't kill her if that's what you are worried about. And Eugene is fine!"

"I am fine," Gene parroted from the doorway. Yasuhara spun to look at him.

"Gene!" Yasuhara protested. "What did she do to Mai? Stop being all…" He gestured at Gene as if to indicate that something was wrong with just about every aspect of Gene's body.

"Tell him Gene," Masako ordered. Yasuhara gave her a momentary glare but then Gene spoke.

"Mai is a mermaid now."

Yasuhara blinked.

"What?" he stammered.

"Mai is a mermaid," Gene repeated.

"And the others? John? Noll? What happened to your brother? Don't you care?"

"John is stuck in the cave," Gene said simply. "Noll is stuck in a human body."

Yasuhara turned on Masako with fury in his eyes. But she did not seem to notice him. She was frowning at Gene.

"And you did this?"

Masako ignored him. She continued to stare at Gene.

"Oi!"

"Eugene?"

"Yes," Gene said as he looked from Yasuhara to Masako.

"Come here."

Gene complied and Masako stood up so they were face to face. Yasuhara watched, confused and angry, as Masako studied the man before her.

Masako's eyes flicked to Yasuhara as she spoke her next words.

"Eugene, kiss me. Kiss me as if I was your lover."

Yasuhara clenched his jaw as Gene obeyed. He could feel his cheeks redden and he looked away.

"Stop," he muttered. But it was no use.

"As you can see," Masako began as they broke apart. "He'll do whatever I want him to. Eugene, tie up this boy, I don't want him running off and ruining my plans." She suddenly pointed a finger at Yasuhara, who found he could not move. Conjured ropes appeared in Gene's hands and he began tying Yasuhara up.

"Done," Gene said.

"Good. Now if I make it so you can't leave this building, that should hold you but…" She paused for thought. "Eugene, stay with the boy and ensure he doesn't do anything stupid. I don't know enough of this technology… I am going out now, I'll be back soon."

Yasuhara could see Masako readying herself to leave out of the corner of his eye. And then she was gone. Yasuhara could not move. He could not speak. He could only blink.

 _Gene can you hear me?_ he tried desperately.

 _I can, but I cannot control my body. That bitch made me…_

 _It doesn't matter,_ Yasuhara interrupted. _We need to get out of this situation._

 _Masako is running out of power, the spell you are under will wear off soon,_ Gene thought quickly. _I might not be so lucky but if one of us can get out we can try and find Noll and…_

 _Is it true? Is Mai a mermaid?_ Yasuhara asked.

 _Yes,_ Gene replied. _And before you even ask; she has a red tail._

Yasuhara tried to picture it, but just couldn't. His best friend in the whole world had a tail. Then again, he thought bitterly, so did the guy he liked.

 _I heard that,_ Gene thought.

 _So?_ Yasuhara muttered. _You've always been able to hear it right?_

 _True,_ Gene replied and Yasuhara imagined that if Gene had been in full control of his body that he would have grinned. _Keep trying to move._

Yasuhara sighed mentally and began attempting to wiggle parts of his body. When he finally managed something, it caused his upright body to fall painfully to the floor.

 _Are you alright?_

 _Is my mental screaming not enough to tell you that my head is in agony?_ Yasuhara replied. As more parts of his body came back to his control, he wriggled out of the ropes and rubbed the forming bruise on his forehead.

Walking proved somewhat difficult at first. It was like walking on legs that both had pins and needles.

 _Yasuhara, if you try to leave or contact anyone, my body will be forced to stop you. I can't stop it,_ Gene informed him. Yasuhara could now see that Gene was standing by the door like a bouncer.

 _Then I won't try to leave, Masako said I couldn't anyway,_ Yasuhara thought. _What can I do then…?_

 _Kiss me?_ Gene suggested. Yasuhara spun and stared at the merman. Masako's control of his body did not extend to preventing blushing. _All I can taste is her on my lips and I hate it…_

Yasuhara's mind went blank. He blinked stupidly. Then he stumbled towards the merman and pressed his lips clumsily to Gene's. He didn't realise that Gene had reciprocated until after they had broken apart.

"I can move!" Gene exclaimed as he test his limbs out. "Look!"

Yasuhara grinned and looked away.

"Like Sleeping Beauty…" he mumbled, more to himself. Then realised and began to try and hide his thoughts.

 _Too late,_ Gene teased.

 _Git,_ Yasuhara thought back and Gene laughed.

"What do we do now?"

"We should-" Yasuhara began, but he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

* * *

 _Well that really is quite a story hmm,_ Madoka thought to Mai. _But if what you say is true, then this spell of the sea witches might not be permanent._

 _What?_ Mai's eyes widened.

 _Well, sea witches are known for being cruel. It would be like one to turn you into a mermaid and wait for you to be deep in the ocean before turning you back._

Mai did not wait a second longer but swam straight out of the opening and back towards the surface.

 _Mai! Wait! I'm sure you'll be fine!_ Madoka thought desperately as she began after her. _You can't go to the surface! If a human sees you…_

But Mai was not listening; she kicked her tail harder than before, desperate for the surface.

* * *

John looked out at the fading sunshine and pulled out the remainder of the packed lunch he had brought from his bag. It was the last of his food. Noll had promised to return with more once he had found Gene. But who knew when that would be?

He took a small bite from the sandwich in the hope that would make it last longer.

The cave was dank and eerie. The darkness was creeping towards John and he subconsciously flinched away from it.

"Noll will come," he said into the silence, hating how his voice echoed around and made him feel even lonelier.

* * *

How long had she been swimming to the surface? Too long. How had she got so deep? Why had she gone so deep?

And was she slowing down?

Why was her tail becoming less responsive?

Why was the oxygen her brain and muscles desperately needed suddenly in such short reply?

Why was her body aching with pain?

Mai struggled to continue upwards, despite her vision fading and her body failing.

That was light? Wasn't it? Just there? Was she close? She had to be close! She had to be! She couldn't die here!

But the agony was spreading and distracting Mai from her goal. She clamped her hands to her neck as her gills resealed. She saw the webbing on her hands flake off like dandruff. And her tail…

Her tail had been replaced by two skinny and pathetic human legs.

Air. She needed air.

Mai kicked her legs desperately. But the surface did not appear.

Water was pressing in on her from every direction. It was teasing her mouth to open. To breathe in her doom.

And it was no use.

She had no more air.

She needed to breathe.

Mai's mouth opened of its own accord.

She choked as water rushed in and gasped in a desperate attempt to find oxygen.

But it was too late.

Everything faded to black.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well I really struggled with the beginning of this chapter, and had writers' block for like a million years - or it felt like it!**

 **I hope you are all more prepared for Humour Week than I am! I meant to write that today but oops... Decided to kill Mai instead...**

 **When you all review - because of course you will all review - could you possibly tell me if you are learning Japanese and if so, how you are doing it? For example, I take lessons and use Genki I as a textbook!**

 **This is for an idea I had whereby I (with others help hopefully) would attempt to write GH fanfic in Japanese, but aim it at people who are learning Japanese. So include translations and notes and explanations where possible. Due to my limited knowledge of the language, I doubt the stories would be a riveting read, but it would be good reading practice! Especially now I own the ENTIRE GHOST HUNT MANGA IN JAPANESE OMG. And I found the books and I need to buy them too...**

 **ANYWAY.**

 **Please review :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"Do we open it?" Yasuhara whispered. They heard another, more urgent knock.

"I'll do it," Gene said quietly. "If it's Masako, she'll expect me."

"What should I do?"

"Put the rope back around your middle, so it looks like you're tied up. Just in case," Gene said and waited until Yasuhara had held the ropes against his torso in a convincing manner.

"Stand away from the door," Yasuhara advised. "She might attack…"

"I doubt it," Gene replied sceptically. But nevertheless, he stood slightly to one side and reached for the door handle. "Ready?"

"Yup."

Gene opened the door and peered around it. Yasuhara could not quite see who it is, but he saw Gene's body relax.

"Noll!"

Yasuhara sighed and dropped the ropes as Noll entered the apartment and Gene shut the door behind him.

 _Where's the witch?_ _Explain,_ Noll demanded mentally. Gene immediately sprung into a mental explanation that he shared with Yasuhara so they were all on the same page. Noll stood and listened.

"Where's Mai? And is John alright?"

"John is stuck in the cave, but otherwise fine," Noll replied. "Mai is fine." He looked away.

Yasuhara nodded at this and looked to Gene, but Gene was staring incredulously at Noll. Yasuhara frowned; unsure of whether or not some communication was going on unheard by him.

Then Gene's jaw dropped.

"What…?" Yasuhara mumbled.

"He likes her!" Gene said. He looked from his brother – who was pointedly ignoring him – to Yasuhara and back again. His mouth was opening and closing like a goldfish.

"Who? Mai?" Yasuhara asked, still frowning. "Really?"

"Yes!" Gene cried happily.

"We need to sort-" Noll began, attempting to brush past his brother's intrusion into his mind, but Gene interrupted.

"Oh my little baby brother is all grown up!"

Gene threw himself on Noll and wrapped his arms around this twin's torso.

"Get-"

"You're going to get yourself a girlfriend and soon have eggs and have little Nolls and little Mais swimming around everywhere!" Gene gushed and pinched Noll's cheek. Noll attempted again to push Gene away, but Gene only held on tighter and completed his overly touchy feely show of affection with a big fat wet sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"You're disgusting," Noll said as he finally got Gene off of him. Yasuhara had watched the display with an amused grin, which turned to laughter as Gene turned and smiled at him.

But the laughter died as Noll bent over double and groaned in pain.

* * *

"I found you at last," Masako said quietly as she knelt down. "It was easier than expected, after so long."

Behind her a dog barked, but she did not look around.

"I'm not sorry to say your plan failed. It might've taken a few hundred years, but I think you always knew it would fail," Masako went on. "Though perhaps as you are not about, you don't care as much."

She stared down at the ground in silence for a few moments.

"I think I overdid it a little. But no one was seriously hurt. I think being in that cave for so long got to me. I was lonely. But you knew that, didn't you Hideo?"

She waited, as if expecting a reply.

"You were wrong. Death would have been kinder. You only prolonged the inevitable."

She waited again.

"Women have gotten prettier Hideo. All those years ago, I would have been the cream of the crop, but now… Now I think I might be only average. If you were here, you'd tease me about getting jealous."

She sighed.

"And rightly so. I guess I have a few curses to revoke…"

She blushed slightly and raised a hand to hide it.

"I spent a long time in that cave planning how best to curse your descendants," she continued. "But you didn't have any. Does this mean your words to me were true? I hope so."

She sighed again.

"Of course I have to deal with a few humans. But I am not long for this world, so I may as well go out with a bang…"

She stood up and stared down at the grave.

"I am glad I got to speak to you again, perhaps I will see you soon."

* * *

"Well crap," Yasuhara said as he blinked stupidly down at Noll.

"You could have perhaps mentioned the conditions of your human-hood to us," Gene said conversationally. Noll flapped his tail impatiently and glared at his brother.

"Could we deal with the issue at hand?" he said, indicating his lower half.

Yasuhara raised a hand to his mouth as he thought.

"Wheelchair," he said finally. "We need a wheelchair."

"Can you get one?" Gene asked.

Yasuhara screwed up his face.

"Maybe?" He walked to the door and began putting on his shoes. "I have an idea, wait here and I'll be back as soon as I can."

He almost ran out the door and the two twins watched him go.

 _So Mai, huh?_

 _Was that really necessary?_

 _Entirely,_ Gene thought with a grin. _So she's more appealing with a tail huh?_

Noll did not reply and Gene laughed.

Yasuhara returned half an hour later, wheelchair in tow.

"Where did you get that?" Gene asked.

Yasuhara winced slightly at the question.

"Well, I know this girl doing an internship type thing at the hospital and she might have the slightest crush on me and I might've used that and…" he trailed off guiltily.

"You despicable person," Gene teased. "Here, help me with Noll."

Noll allowed the two men to lift him into the chair and then Yasuhara ran to Mai's room in search of a suitable blanket.

They spent a long time trying to tuck Noll's long blue tail in a manner that did not look suspicious.

"That'll have to do," Gene said finally. "We better get going before Masako turns back up."

Noll allowed Gene to push him to the door and out onto the landing.

"Uh, Yasuhara? There's no lift…" Gene muttered as Yasuhara locked up. Noll sighed in exasperation.

"Damn."

* * *

 _Stupid human,_ Lin thought. The young woman felt tiny in his hands as he dragged her to the surface. _Noll owes me._

He broke the surface and checked for boats, but the coast was clear. Sighing, he began squeezing the human's torso, forcing the water from her lungs.

 _Is she okay?_ Madoka's voice pushed itself into his mind.

Lin did not reply, but continued at his work.

 _She needs air,_ Madoka thought as she appeared by Lin's side. _Let me._

She pinched Mai's nose and clamped her mouth over Mai's. Lin watched her blow air into Mai's lungs.

 _Does she have a pulse?_

Madoka continued breathing into Mai's mouth as Lin checked.

 _Are we too late…?_

* * *

Noll refused to speak as soon as the man on the platform began talking to him in that overly kind tone used often by those interacting with the disabled. He refused to accept the pity.

Gene and Yasuhara dealt with the man swiftly and before long they were on the train and speeding back towards the beach.

 _We're going to have to wait until nightfall for you to return to the sea, so no one sees you,_ Yasuhara projected to the twins.

Noll scowled and looked out of the window.

 _What are we going to do about John?_ Gene asked as he shifted the rucksack they had put together for the exorcist on his back. _I mean this stuff will only last so long…_

 _Well, we broke the spells we were under, we'll just have to find a way to break his too,_ Yasuhara replied confidently.

 _Your spells were weak though,_ Noll interjected. _What if…_

 _Mai's spell is also as weak?_ Gene finished.

 _She'll be fine,_ Yasuhara thought, unable to accept the horror of the alternative.

They spent the afternoon on the coast, waiting for sundown. Yasuhara bought him and Gene ice creams and Noll a cup of tea. They sat together, staring at the sea, occasionally making a comment or two.

Eventually, the sun slipped below the horizon and they ventured onto the beach. Gene carried Noll into the sea while Yasuhara hid the wheelchair behind a few rocks so they could hopefully return it later.

 _We'll meet you on the other side,_ Gene told his brother. He and Yasuhara began clambering over the rocks in a very one-sided race against Noll to the little cove.

Sure enough, Noll was waiting on the other side. Yasuhara ran towards the cave with the intention of giving the prepared rucksack to John so that he could eat and change clothes.

"I'm so glad you are alright!" John greeted him.

"Of course I'm alright. Gene is with us, everyone is okay. We managed to break a few spells that Masako put on us, so I'm confident we can break yours too!"

"Do you have any food? I'm starving!"

Yasuhara pulled some onigiri from the rucksack and gave them to John who took them hungrily. He waited in the mouth of the cave as the priest ate.

"So what's the plan?" John asked finally as he wiped a few stray grains of rice from his lips.

"We're making it up as we go alone," Yasuhara admitted, giving John a shaky smile.

* * *

Noll sat on the beach, Gene standing a few metres behind him. Both twins looked out to sea.

 _You can't hear her either, can you?_ Gene asked.

 _No,_ Noll admitted. _Normally she is louder than any other human but…_

 _She'll be fine_ , Gene said and he hoped, desperately, that he was right.

* * *

 **Author's note: I'm so evil. Dragging out Mai's death... Ah well... Now do I stay up late and finish this chapter or do I sleep? Tough decisions...**

 **I might stay up... I reckon the last chapter might be the last...**

 **Thank you to everyone that told me about your Japanese learning adventures! We have such a mix on this website! When I get back to Manchester, I am going to start on that idea more seriously! I know whatever I manage to write (hopefully with some of you guy's help!) will not be the most riveting read, but will at least be good practice (at first for hiragana and katakana - yay! but later for kanji too!).**

 **Please review :)**


	11. Chapter 11

"Masako! Run faster!" Hideo gasped as they sprinted away from the village.

"Hideo! Stop! It's too late!"

"It isn't! I can save you," he hissed as they neared the sea. "Follow me…"

Reluctantly, she followed him down onto a beach.

"Hideo, this is ridiculous, I don't care anymore!" Masako cried as she clutched at her chest. "Let them ki-"

"No!" he shouted. But he was acutely aware of the villagers gaining on them. "I can save you."

Masako began to shake her head.

"Hideo, it doesn't matter. They can't accept me…"

"I won't let them hurt you. I have a plan," Hideo went on, ignoring her words. "Get in that cave, okay? I will come for you when everything is safer and we'll run away, okay?"

"This isn't going to work!"

"Then you can say 'I told you so' when it doesn't, but I have to try!" Hideo insisted. "Please, run to the cave!" Masako hesitantly complied.

"Kill the witch! Burn her!" the yells came from men with weapons and torches.

Hideo took a deep breath and formed a steady stance.

" _Grant me the power._ " He threw his arms to the heavens. " _Bind this creature to her dwelling._ " Hideo moved his arms down. " _And protect her from the harm of all the ages._ "

A white light emitted from his finger tips and shot towards the cave. Hideo fell back, as did many of the villagers.

"What did you do?"

"Is she dead?"

"Are we safe?"

The questions came quick as Hideo struggled to his feet.

"You will not manage to kill her, she is too powerful," he said quickly in a strong voice. "But she is now bound to that cave, unable to escape or hurt you anymore. You are all safe."

"She cannot curse any more of our children?" a young man asked. Hideo refrained from denying the accusation.

"No, she cannot do anything unless you go into that cave."

"And will she ever be able to get out?"

"Only a witch hunter can release her from the bind," Hideo reasoned.

"So you can free her?" another slightly older man asked.

"I have no reason to," Hideo lied confidently. Most of the villagers looked reassured, until a little girl at the very back of the group spoke up.

"But Masako said you loved her?"

Hideo looked at the young girl. He recognised her as the child Masako had often looked after before that incident. He knew the girl meant no malice, that she was only confused that Masako might have lied to her, but her words poisoned the crowd's opinion on the situation.

"Is it true?" someone demanded.

Another man raised his weapon.

"I'll take no chances."

Hideo turned and ran.

* * *

"Masako?" a whisper crept through the darkness of the cave.

"Hideo?"

"No… He's…"

Masako lit a fire and saw a young girl in the entrance of the cave.

"Ayami? What are you doing here? Where is Hideo? Your parents won't want you to play with me anymore!"

"They killed him," Ayami whispered. She was clutching a cloth doll. "Because he loved you."

"Oh." Masako let the sound escape her lips as she sank to the floor. She felt suddenly hollow.

"Why did you hurt Auntie's baby?"

"I didn't," Masako replied automatically.

"But why did it die? I thought you saved people…"

"Ayami," Masako began. Her mouth was speaking of its own accord while her insides were sinking like a stone. "You know babies grow in their mother's stomachs until they are ready for the world? Your Auntie's stomach had some problems growing her baby. It wasn't her fault. It just happens sometimes. I tried to help, I did my best. But when her baby was born, the problems had caused irreparable damage. The baby would have suffered a lot…"

"Oh," Ayami said. "So why is everyone so angry? I don't understand. If you tried your best…"

"They think I did it because…" Masako felt tears run down her cheek and hastily covered her face with her sleeve. "Because I cannot have children."

"But why…?"

"I just can't. They believed me jealous and that I acted out in a bitter rage."

"But you didn't!" Ayami cried. "I'll tell them it's a mistake!"

"Don't," Masako warned. "Don't tell them you saw me, they'll think I bewitched you. Go back and help your Auntie, she'll have another child. Look after everyone where I can't."

"But you're stuck here! Mummy said you'd be stuck here forever…"

"I'll be okay, Ayami." Masako stood up and moved towards the young girl. "Go and live your life."

She sighed and tapped the young girl on the forehead. Ayami would not remember a thing. She'd be safe.

Masako watched the girl walk out of the cave in a daze.

"Oh Hideo… What did you do…"

* * *

 _I'm going to go and look for her,_ Noll thought suddenly to Gene. He began shuffling back into deeper water when they heard a shout.

They both looked out into the darkness and made out a lump in the sea. Noll dove under the water and swam towards it.

 _Lin? Madoka? Where is… Mai!_

 _What's wrong?_ Gene asked from the shore.

 _She's fine,_ Lin thought back. _She drowned slightly, but we brought her back. She's extremely tired and it's likely she has that thing humans get when they've been cold for too long._

Gene hastily sent a thought message to Yasuhara, requesting he brought the blanket they'd used to cover Noll's legs with him. He then helped the three merpeople drag a completely naked Mai onto the beach.

Yasuhara appeared a moment later and hastily wrapped Mai up in the blanket. She was woozy and not really responding to her surroundings.

"Hypothermia," he muttered. "She needs body warmth and warm sweet drinks. But we don't have any of those… Damn."

The merpeople watched from the shallows as Yasuhara began stripping his shirt off.

"Go and get the chocolate bar from the rucksack," he ordered Gene. "And the spare clothes."

He used his own shirt to dress Mai slightly, not bothered by her nakedness. Then he climbed into the blanket and pressed Mai's back to his chest and wrapped them both in the blanket.

"Sharing body heat," he explained to his audience. Gene appeared a moment later with a bundle of clothes and the chocolate. "Put the socks on her feet and hands."

Gene complied.

 _She's so quiet…_ he thought.

"Mai," Yasuhara said loudly and clearly. "Mai, wake up and eat this."

She stirred slightly at her name.

"Mai!" Gene joined in. "It's chocolate, you like chocolate."

She stirred again.

"She needs a hospital," Yasuhara muttered. "Did she drown?"

 _Yes_ , Lin replied.

"Damn," Yasuhara hissed. "Mai! Wake up now!"

Mai slowly opened her eyes.

"Osamu? I'm so tired…" she mumbled. She twisted around to use him more effectively as a pillow.

"No, Mai, you have to wake up now! I have chocolate!"

"I don't want chocolate…"

"Mai," Noll interrupted. "We all saw you naked."

Mai opened her eyes fully and stared down at her semi clothed body before scowling at Noll.

"Why are you so mean?" she growled. "I just wanna sleep… Yasuhara make him go away…"

"I will if you stay awake," Yasuhara promised.

"But…"

"Mai, eat the chocolate," Noll ordered.

"Yasuhara! You said you'd make the meanie go away," Mai complained with a yawn. "I had a really weird dream… There was a strange man in it…"

"Why don't you tell me about it after eating this?" Yasuhara forced a chunk of chocolate to her lips and she reluctantly began sucking on it.

Mai didn't notice the collective sigh of relief that passed around the group.

"What happened?" Mai mumbled. "I can't really…"

"What was the last think you remember?" Noll enquired.

"I think I was a mermaid. And I met Madoka and the scary merman… Or was that a dream?"

"It wasn't," Madoka said; her voice hoarse above the water. "We had a chat, do you remember?"

Mai nodded.

"But that was at the bottom of the ocean?" Mai said and then winced. Everyone started forwards, looking for injury. "Yasuhara please, I'm fine, I'm just…"

"What?" Yasuhara looked down at his best friend with confusion written all over his face.

"You're so noisy!"

"I didn't say anything…"

"Shhh," Mai muttered. "Your thoughts… Wait, what? I can still hear you?" she asked, but her question was overtaken by a yawn. "Can I sleep now?"

"No, you haven't finished your chocolate," Gene interjected.

"After our chat," Madoka went on. "You rushed for the surface, scared you'd return to your human form and…"

"You drowned," Lin finished in his own deep rasp.

"What?" Mai blinked stupidly. "But I'm fine?"

"No you aren't," Yasuhara said immediately.

But before Mai could protest any further, they all heard the same sound. It was a voice so soft that it was barely audible, yet somehow it entered the ears of everyone present.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Gene spun around to see Masako standing a few metres away. The three merpeople immediately made to return to deeper water. Yasuhara began shielding Mai.

"What are you doing here?" Gene demanded.

"Oh, I don't think so!" Masako said, flinging a finger out at the merpeople. Lin and Madoka continued onwards, but Noll was caught in an invisible grasp that dragged him back to shore. "I really am getting weaker… No matter."

"Is it Masako?" Mai asked, trying to look around Yasuhara's shoulder. "The man in my dream… He talked about her."

"What?" Yasuhara muttered as Noll crashed into the sand a few metres away. Gene moved to guard his brother, but he did not take his eye off Masako.

"Masako!" Mai called out desperately, despite her weak voice. "Hideo says he sorry!"

Yasuhara attempted to shush Mai, but she fought against him.

"Mai, be quiet!" he hissed.

"Masako! Hideo didn't realise! He-"

Yasuhara clamped a hand over Mai's mouth and held her to him. She was too weak to break away from his grip alone.

But then Yasuhara was forced to release Mai. Her body floated up a little higher than her usual standing height and then it moved towards Masako.

"What else did he say?" Masako asked quietly as she set Mai down. Yasuhara rushed forwards with the blanket, but slowed at Masako's warning look.

"I just need to keep her warm, I don't want her to die," he explained reasonably.

Masako nodded and Yasuhara wrapped the blanket around Mai, who did not seem to notice its presence.

"He was in my dream… Or was it when I died? I don't know…" She frowned for a minute. "He said he was sorry, that he was too much of a coward and… He's waiting for you."

Masako smiled slightly.

"I guess I just have to deal with you four then," she said finally.

At a mental message from Noll, Gene made to move in front of Mai. Yasuhara too tried once again to shield Mai. Masako only rolled her eyes and threw her hands out. The four teenagers all shot into the air a few metres apart.

"Who is Hideo?" Yasuhara asked frantically.

"The man she loved. He trapped her in the cave to save her," Mai replied.

"Ayami was right," Masako mumbled, more to herself than the others. "I thought perhaps he had sent her to lie to me but…"

"Let us go, we mean you no harm!" Mai said. "Hideo doesn't want you to hurt anyone…"

"I spent so many years thinking bitter thoughts," Masako went on. "But one more curse and I can be free."

"No!" Gene cried, struggling against his invisible bonds. "Curse me! Leave the others alone! Don't hurt them!"

"It's too late for that now," Masako said and she smiled. It was a warm smile, like a summer's evening. But the warmth of her expression was spreading. It became a glow that encompassed her entire body.

And the glow only became hotter and hotter until it felt like it would burn the flesh from Mai's skin. She squealed in agony, closing her eyes and clutching her head.

Then it all stopped.

She opened her eyes.

Everything was black.

Panicking, Mai looked around. But there was only an endless blackness.

 _What do you desire most…?_

She could not identify where the voice came from. But pondered the question anyway. What did she desire most?

She didn't know…

Many things came to mind. The return of her parents? Good grades? A more comfortable life? More freedom? To be accepted?

But most…?

 _I see_ , the voice said.

And Mai knew no more.

* * *

 **Author's note: And you all thought I'd killed Mai before... I love making you all worry. I'm such a bad person!**

 **Just to clarify, Noll turned back into a merman because Gene kissed him. It was a kiss of true love (entirely brotherly I assure you) so it broke the spell. Think Frozen but with brothers! Because we all love Frozen, don't we? *glares***

 **The next chapter made me cry a little...**

 **There is only one more chapter after this one and it is all completed! Review and persuade me to upload the final chapter sooner!**

 **Please review :)**


	12. Chapter 12

John felt a shockwave burst through the cave. Startled, he rushed to the entrance. But he was no longer impeded by a barrier.

Overjoyed, he ran out onto the beach and savoured his freedom before he noticed several bodies near the shore. Frowning, he began towards them.

Yasuhara, Mai, Noll and Gene were lying in a row but…

" _Mai? Noll? Mermaids…?_ " John mumbled. " _But what on earth is…_ "

He walked past Gene, who was still human, and tentatively touched Noll's tail. The sun was just beginning to rise and the scales were shimmering.

"John?" Yasuhara's voice came from the other end. "What happened?"

"I don't know," John replied. "I was released and found you all like this…"

"Where's Masako?" Yasuhara asked as he struggled to his feet.

"I don't know," John repeated.

"Oh…"

At Yasuhara's voice, John turned and saw a pile of clothes. Peeking out the opening was a small pile of ash that was being diminished by the wind.

"My neck hurts…" Mai's voice groaned.

" _She didn't…_ " John mumbled. " _I thought that was just a myth…_ "

"Mai! Are you okay? You have…" Yasuhara gestured down at her body and Mai forced herself to sit up.

"A tail? Again? What?"

"Why is Mai always so loud?" Gene said as he sat. "Why is Mai a mermaid again?" he added, upon spotting Mai's tail. "Well Noll will be happy."

"Huh?" Mai looked around at his words. "Why would he…?"

"He prefers you with a tail."

"What do I prefer?" Noll groaned.

"Mai with a tail," Gene said conversationally. "Why don't I have my tail back? _John, how are you free?_ "

"Shut it," Noll growled.

" _I think the sea witch used a death curse…_ " John said quietly.

"What?" Yasuhara asked.

"Death curse," Gene translated.

"Is that why I have a tail again?" Mai whined.

" _How does this curse work?"_

 _"_ _It's a misnomer really,_ " John explained. " _Well, basically, a witch can use her own life force to grant desires. But it's incredibly hard. I think she died to give you all your deepest desire."_

Gene mentally translated for Yasuhara. Mai, as a mermaid, no longer needed his services.

"Why would she do that?" Yasuhara asked.

"I think she was going to die anyway," Mai said. "Hideo, the man that was in my dream… Well he said that she wasn't a bad person. There had been an accident, a mistake and…"

"The cave made drove her slightly insane," Gene finished. Mai nodded.

"But deepest desire? Then why am I a mermaid?" Mai asked herself. "I want to go home! And…"

"No you don't, Mai," Yasuhara interjected. "You want adventure…" he said sadly.

"But I won't be able to see you!" she cried, and tears began to escape her eyes.

"Yes you will," Yasuhara said as he embraced Mai. "We can meet all the time, here on this beach!"

"But what was everyone else's desires?" Gene asked the group at large.

"You want to experience the humans more," Noll said immediately. "You were bored of the sea."

"And you," Mai said, looking at Noll. "Want your brother to be happy." Noll did not deny it.

"And Yasuhara?" Gene prompted.

"He wants his family to accept him and to make them proud," Mai said, turning back to Yasuhara, who blushed slightly and looked away. There was a moment of silence. " _So are we stuck this way?"_ she asked John.

"It's so weird to hear Mai speaking good English…" Yasuhara mumbled and she glared at him.

"You know, Gene is right, your thoughts are filthy," she retaliated before turning back to John.

"I wasn't evening thinking anything inappropriate then!"

Mai ignored him.

" _I think so…_ " John said uneasily. " _From what I've read, they are binding. I'm sorry,_ " he added, somewhat awkwardly.

"We should get going," Noll said after another silence.

"But…" Mai protested.

"He's right," Yasuhara said. "We'll see you again soon."

"But all my things? In my apartment!"

"I'll take care of them," Yasuhara reassured her. "And make sure things go to people that need them."

"But the things from my mum… Her kimonos and her tea set, my yukatas… I don't want them to go to just anyone…"

"I'll keep them," Yasuhara said. He knelt beside Mai and took her hands in his own. "I'll keep them for my daughters."

More tears came to Mai's eyes.

"But you don't even know how to tie them!" she sobbed with a half laugh. Yasuhara smiled.

"I can learn," he said.

"And Houshou? And Ayako? What will you tell them? You can't tell them the truth."

"That you went missing, they'll mourn you but… We can't tell them the truth."

Mai glanced over to Noll and Gene, who seemed to be saying their own mental goodbyes.

"You'll come back?" she asked desperately.

"Of course, every week if you want," Yasuhara said. He drew Mai into a hug. "Take care of yourself, okay?" He swallowed noisily.

"You too, hmm? And Gene too!" Mai said. Yasuhara lifted her into the air and walked her into the shallows of the ocean. "I'll see you soon right?" Mai saw Noll enter the water a little way to her left out of the corner of her eye. Yasuhara nodded. "Bye Gene! Look after him!"

Gene waved and nodded and Mai dived into the water.

She resurfaced a few seconds later and looked back at the beach. John was standing furthest away, obviously feeling like an intruder on the moment. Yasuhara and Gene were holding hands and waving.

Mai felt a hand enter her own.

 _Wave back, we'll see them soon,_ Noll's voice told her. She used her free hand to return the wave and then Noll tugged her down under the water.

 _At least no one can see my tears under the water,_ she thought.

 _It is not farewell,_ Noll reminded her. _We should find Lin and Madoka. I have to thank him._

 _He saved my life, even though he hates my kind?_

 _His family lost a few members to humans. Come on,_ he said as he swam faster and Mai struggled to keep up.

 _Now what was this about you preferring me with a tail?_ Mai asked indignantly.

Noll rolled his eyes.

 _I don't see an issue with being attractive to my own species._

 _Well maybe I preferred you with legs,_ Mai replied.

 _Mai, I can hear your thoughts, I know exactly how you prefer me._

Mai felt her face redden.

 _Jerk!_

* * *

A few years later…

"Come on Saori," Yasuhara said. "Almost there!"

"Dad! Slow down!"

"Yeah," Gene agreed. "It's not like Mai or Noll actually expect us to be on time!"

Yasuhara rolled his eyes and jumped down from the final rock into the little secluded bay. He helped his daughter and Gene down before turning towards the water. Saori took his hand and they began walking together.

Saori had originally been a pro-bono client in a murder case. Someone was required to represent her after both her parents were taken brutally away from her. Yasuhara had taken the case as his first as a lawyer after passing all his exams. He had adopted her not long after.

It had taken a lot of effort to make Gene her other guardian, as technically he did not exist in legal records. Yasuhara had had to pull a lot of strings – and Gene might have sung to a few people - to get him a passport. Legally, they could not marry in Japan. But they didn't need it.

They had a happy little family unit that three times a year went to the beach to see a few merpeople.

"Mai!" Yasuhara shouted. The mermaid was waiting on the beach, basking in the sun.

"Hey!" she replied. "Saori! You've grown so much!"

"Mai! Look!" Saori slipped her father's smartphone from his pocket and began showing Mai some photos.

"You look so pretty!" Mai said as she browsed the photos of the young girl in Mai's old yukatas.

"Where's Noll?" Gene asked with a frown. Mai smiled at his question.

"He's not coming today," she said.

"Why? Is he ill?"

"No, he's just busy…" she replied evasively. She passed the device back to Yasuhara, who pocketed it and the family looked down at the mermaid. "He's looking after our eggs."

Both Gene and Yasuhara's jaws dropped simultaneously.

"What? Like a chicken?" Saori asked. Gene laughed at her question before bending down and hugging Mai.

"I'm so happy for you!" he whispered. "I never thought you'd…"

"Be able to? Me neither but…" Mai shrugged happily.

"I'm going to be an uncle..." Yasuhara gasped. "You're going to have cousins!" he added to Saori.

"When will they hatch?"

"Noll isn't sure," she said. "But he reckons within a month or so."

"Can we have an extra trip this year?" Saori asked. "I wanna see baby merpeople!"

Yasuhara and Gene both looked to Mai, obviously keen on the idea.

"Sure," she said. "In two months, perhaps?"

"It's a date," Yasuhara agreed.

And so they sat on the beach until sundown. Saori told Mai about their family holiday to Italy. Gene explained how Yasuhara had been using him as a translation service for foreign clients. Yasuhara added in a few bits here and there. And Mai told them of her home and her adventures under the waves.

Eventually they parted, but there were no tears this time. They would see each other soon enough.

Mai returned to Noll and the nest of eggs.

 _How are they?_ Noll asked casually, not looking up from the puzzle he was working on.

 _Fine, they send their congratulations. Saori's grown so much in the last few months._

She rattled on and Noll looked up to watch her idly tidying things. When she passed his way, he pulled her onto his lap and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. She blushed. She always did. No matter how many times he showed her affection.

 _Are you happy?_ he asked.

She smiled.

 _Yes,_ she replied. _You?_

He kissed her again and they both looked down at the small group of eggs.

 _Couldn't be better._

The end.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well I hope you all enjoyed this! I'm sad to see this one go! I enjoyed having an excuse to write a load of euphemisms...**

 **Please review :)**


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